The Sultan's Son and the Mad Seamstress' Child
by Lukey97
Summary: The story of Jay and Carlos and the feelings between them left unsaid for too long. This is a descendants fan-fiction set after the events of Descendants 2 (2017) so I cannot guarantee that there won't be spoilers. There may be some inconsistencies with the movies but only to fit the story-line and nothing major.
1. Chapter 1

It was hard for Jay to watch Carlos and Jane. He wasn't entirely sure why. Well, that's not entirely true. Jay definitely knew he liked Carlos but he still wasn't sure how much he liked him. It was unlike Jay to focus so much on these things and it always ended up giving him either a headache or a heart-ache. However, the past few months at Auradon Prep had changed him. Who he was on the Isle is so far gone from the person he was now. Where there once was no team in I, suddenly there was no I in team. Jay realised he now cared more for those around him, particularly the fellow VKs who had joined him on his new adventures in Auradon.

He had initially treated Carlos as a younger brother, fighting over blankets and pushing him away when Carlos was scared and jumped into his arms. However, sharing a room and most of their classes and extra-curricular activities had changed his perspective. The mess that was Ben's coronation and both show-downs with Uma had only cemented their bond. Jay found himself caring for another person more so than he ever had before. The fact it was another boy never worried Jay in the slightest. Back on the isle people didn't really date, it was mostly just action and it never really mattered to anyone what gender the other person was.

It hurt Jay that first time Carlos asked him how he could possibly ask Jane to go with him to the Royal Cotillion as his date. At the time Jay had pretended to be aloof and joked it away, but he secretly hoped Carlos would never have the courage. That was the real reason he hadn't asked anyone formally as his date. He had hoped it would just be him and Carlos without dates so they would 'have' to stick together. Still, Carlos seemed happy with Jane and all that mattered to Jay at that moment was Carlos' happiness. Jay's false façade almost melted away when he saw how scared Carlos was when Uma's tentacles lashed the boat. He had never seen Carlos so frightened except once back on the isle.

Jay was returning from a rather successful visit to the market when he heard someone whimpering like a hurt puppy. Normally Jay would just move on, this was the isle of the lost after all. It could have just been some street urchin trying to trick him so he could steal from him. But Jay noticed Carlos' distinctive faux-Dalmatian jacket sleeve as Carlos slumped around the corner. When Jay finally kneeled in front of Carlos he saw how bad it really was. He was barely conscious and looked brutalised. His face was covered in bruises and his shoulder looked like it had been ripped from its socket. Jay knew only Cruella could have done such a thing and lived up to her name so brilliantly. Occasionally Carlos would turn up to school with unexplained scrapes and bruises but never something this horrible.

He scooped the whimpering boy into his arms and hurried off to find Evie. She was good with healing these sorts of things, or at least concealing the bruises until they had cleared. There was no magic on the isle so there was no quick fix to these things. As Jay was on his way to Evie Carlos seemed to curl into Jay's warm chest. It was then that those feelings for Carlos began to develop. It broke Jay's heart to see his friend look so dead inside. For days Jay watched over Carlos as he slowly healed. Jay brought him homework and made sure he ate and drank the few times he managed to stay awake long enough. Cruella didn't seem to really care that Carlos was hurt, all she was worried about was how her clothes would be cleaned. She couldn't possibly go out looking dirty like some common street rat. Jay had never realised before how hard it was for Carlos. No one on the island ever had it easy but at least they weren't treated so terribly. From that day on Jay paid closer attention to Carlos and the people he interacted with. He didn't think he could bear seeing Carlos like that ever again.

But now all the unpleasantness with Maleficent and Uma's crew was far behind them and they could finally attempt to fit in at Auradon Prep and make a good example for the new kids coming across from the isle. Jay was happy to see Carlos and Jane together but he'd be lying if he didn't admit that the tiniest part of him wanted them to break up. Preferably sooner rather than later. At any rate, he wasn't going to be the one to break them up or contribute to it in anyway. Carlos had had enough sadness in his life, Jay couldn't bear to be the reason behind more.

Jay remained stoic as he watched Jane and Carlos study late into the night, the occasional giggle rising from the two of them every now and then. When they went out on dates it was Jay who looked after Dude and made sure he was fine. He had to be careful with that mutt now that it could talk. The damn thing never seemed to know when to shut up. Jay had revealed some pretty intense feelings to Dude before and he prayed, a strange concept for him, that Dude never revealed to Carlos how Jay really felt towards him.

Jay began to catch up with Lonnie, Evie and Mal a lot more now. He was even growing to like Dizzy, Drizella's daughter and Lady Tremaine's granddaughter, who Evie had convinced Ben to bring across from the Isle. Evie was right, Dizzy did not belong on that island. It was a wonder how someone with so much light could come from a home of so much wickedness. But then again, Cinderella managed it. Dizzy was also very well versed with emotions and what others were feeling. Apparently she had learned to read emotions so she knew when to stay away from her guardians. Dizzy knew something was wrong with Jay but she was wise enough not to say anything to anyone else. Though it must have been pretty obvious. At least Evie had given away her magic mirror to the Museum of Cultural History so she couldn't use that every ten seconds to work out what was going on.

One day, Carlos returned from one of his dates with Jane and his eyes were red as though he had been crying. Jay immediately went to comfort the poor boy, his heart broke for him. Still, there was a tiny part of Jay that was slightly happy. Maybe if they broke up there could still be a chance for him. Maybe…

To be continued. Be good Auradon, someone's watching ;)


	2. Chapter 2

The weeks Carlos had spent with Jane as a couple had been fantastic but deep down they both knew that there really was not a whole lot of chemistry. They loved each other as friends but beyond that they didn't really have much of a spark. They both knew it but neither wanted to be the one to say it in case the other person felt differently. This was a struggle especially for Carlos as this had been his first healthy relationship. He still had nightmares of his time with Harry Hook, most of which was against his will.

Carlos enjoyed studying with Jane and they would often giggle and joke around. Carlos tried not to make too much noise because he didn't want to annoy Jay. He could always feel the older boy's eyes boring into the back of his skull every time he spent time with Jane in his room (something the Fairy Godmother could never find out about or they both would be Bippity Boppity Booed right out of school). He wasn't entirely sure what problems Jay had with the two of them. If Carlos didn't know Jay any better he could have sworn it was jealousy.

Carlos had always looked up to Jay who had taken him under his wing at such a young age. He still had vivid flashbacks of Jay saving him when he had been pushed too far on the isle. He could almost remember burying his face into Jay's chest as he carried him away to safety. He still remembered how Jay watched over him until he felt better. Jay was his guardian angel and Carlos knew he would be lost without him.

One night as he was walking with Jane around the Enchanted Lake their topic of conversation began to turn more serious. Carlos knew the moment of truth had come.

"Hey Carlos, how do you think we're going? As a couple I mean?" Jane questioned, her eyes full of hope.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Well, I know we've been great friends since you guys saved me from myself at Ben's coronation but do we really make a great couple? I mean I love you a lot Carlos-"

"And I love you too Jane!" Carlos interjected quickly, more of a reflex than anything with any real meaning.

"I know Carlos but maybe… Maybe we're just better off as friends?"

This broke Carlos a little. Not because the relationship wasn't going to work, he had known that for a few weeks now, but because this was his first healthy one. Carlos thought there must be something wrong with him if the only 'good' relationship he had ever had was already crumbling around him in such a short space of time. "I know what you mean Jane. I think we've both known for a while now." He eventually sighed after putting a great deal of thought into what he was going to say.

Jane looked sad but she still breathed a sigh of relief as well. "Great- I mean, okay – well, I don't know what I mean but… yeah. You're right." After a brief pause she looked hopeful again and asked "Friends?"

"Best friends." Carlos agreed with a smile. After one last hug the two went their separate ways. Jane decided to stay back at the enchanted lake a little longer to think. Carlos just needed to get back to his dorm. He knew Jay would be there and the only person he really needed right now was him. He would understand and he would know exactly the right thing to say or do.

Carlos could not help but cry as he dejectedly walked back to school. He had only ever had one relationship before this and it was horrible. Harry was a monster just like his father and he really loved to use that hook whenever he could. Just thinking about it scared Carlos and he began to cry again. Jane had been the only good thing in his life and he hoped against hope that they really could still remain friends. He didn't really know what he would do without her.

Walking through the dorm door he saw Jay look up from his bed and concern immediately became clear on his face. Without saying a word he got up and hugged Carlos which only made Carlos cry even harder. They just stood like that for a few minutes before they heard a knock on the door.

"Hey Carlos, we heard what happened and wanted to know if you needed anything?" It was Evie and Carlos assumed the we meant Mal as well.

"Yeah Carlos, we're here for you." Mal said confirming his suspicions.

"Thanks guys, but I think I'll be alright. We both knew that we were better as friends anyway."

"Okay, but yell out if you need anything at all. We're right down the hall." Evie called out as he heard footsteps walking away.

"So… I guess you and Jane are…" Jay finally said after what felt like a millennium of silence.

"Over. Yeah." Carlos sighed. For a second he thought he saw some sort of emotion in Jay's face, could it be happiness? Carlos let the thought slip from his mind as he and Jay spent the rest of the night playing video games to keep their minds occupied. It eventually worked and Carlos was feeling better as he finally managed to fall asleep.

The next few weeks seemed to pass by quickly for Carlos. The new kids from the isle were finally settling in to a normal routine. They all looked so much happier outside of that dreadful place and it was a good distraction for Carlos. The first few days with Jane had been incredibly awkward but then Carlos made a joke about the tension and things lightened up. Soon enough they were back to giggling and having private jokes again. It made Carlos happy to know that not all relationships have to end so badly. He had barely survived his last break up, which was meant literally on the isle.

He and Jay also seemed to have grown closer which made Carlos happy. For a moment he had felt like Jay was drifting away while he was with Jane. This confused him at the time but he just put it down to Jay feeling left out. Not that he should, that hunk could have gotten any girl in school if he wanted. Well, almost any, Carlos don't think Mal, Evie or even Lonnie would want to go there with Jay. They saw the messes he sometimes left behind when girls got their hopes up only for Jay to bring them unceremoniously crashing back down to Earth.

Finally Carlos was happy again and was finally looking forward to a quiet year at Auradon.

Be good Auradon, someone's watching ;)


	3. Chapter 3

The past few weeks Jay had never been happier. He and his friends were safe and he was crushing it in every sport he participated in. Making Lonnie captain of the fencing team had to be one of his smartest moves because it ended up making them the champions of the league. At first the other teams had scoffed when Lonnie walked out into the arena but they quickly lost their smiles as Lonnie single-handedly bet every single one. Even Chad had come to respect Lonnie, he even apologized to her after one of the matches. Jay almost wished he had a phone with him at the time to record it, Chad rarely apologized and even when he did it normally was just him turning the apology into a flirt ("I'm sorry I distracted you, I tend to have that effect on women" and so on).

"Thanks so much Jay!" Lonnie had screamed at him after they had just won the grand final. "I can't believe we actually won!"

"Yeah, you totally crushed it out there!" Jay replied. He could see Lonnie's parents in the cheering crowd. Jay never thought he would actually see Mulan cry but there she was.

"SO DID YOU! You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you again Jay."

"Don't mention it"

"Congrats Jay! We did it!" Carlos yelled triumphantly as he crashed into Jay giving him a massive hug.

"Y-yeah we did. You were awesome out there today." Jay replied, taken off guard by the younger boy. Jay had still not confessed his feelings to Carlos. They had been growing closer since that night Carlos came home crying but Jay did not want to ruin anything by putting his feelings out there. So far Dude had been quiet on it so Jay had begun to believe he actually forgot about it. Dude only really talks these days when he wants food or his butt scratched. Otherwise he only ever pipes up to mention something really random that ends up ruining the entire conversation.

A few weeks had passed before the school finally moved on from being crowned fencing champions of Auradon. Even the Fairy Godmother had brought out her wand to aid in the festivities. Things were finally getting back to normal now and Jay was becoming slightly bored since he had all this extra time to himself. Tourney didn't start for a few months and none of the other sports really appealed to him. Not that it would have mattered anyway, Jay had been so fixated on Carlos and his feelings for him that recently his attentiveness to anything else had begun to slip.

"So what do you think?" Dizzy was showing Jay one of the new headbands she had designed with Evie but Jay was focused on something else and didn't notice. "Jay?"

"Sorry, what? Oh yeah, that looks great. Sorry Dizzy, fashion isn't really my thing unless it's leather, you feel me?"

"Yeah… sure you're not just preoccupied with someone?"

"Shut up Dizzy!" Jay muttered before rushing off. He knew it made what she said seem true so he immediately regretted it but it would look worse if he returned to clarify so he just kept walking. It was weird seeing so many kids from the isle in Auradon but it was good to see them connecting with the Auradon kids. Jay tended to stay away from them anyway, less for him to worry about. As long as Carlos was safe then he was fine.

"What's the rush Jay?" Evie asked as he passed her and Mal heading out of their rooms.

"I left my homework in my room, I need to get it before I'm late for class." Jay congratulated himself on coming up with an excuse so fast, but he was used to it from his thieving days on the isle. Improvisation is a thief's best friend.

"Yeah, right." Mal scoffed as her and Evie shared a knowing glance.

"What?"

"Nothing. You sure there's not something, or someone, else in your room that you might be rushing to?"

"No. Shut up Mal."

"Fine. Good luck." Mal replied before walking away with Evie, the knowing smiles ever-so-clear on their faces. Jay turned red, he didn't realise that others could tell he had a thing for Carlos. It did make sense to him that the other VKs would know first seeing how much time they had spent together. Suddenly it occurred to him that maybe Carlos knew as well but he quickly moved on from that thought. Carlos could be very perceptive except when it came to anything concerning himself. That damn cute boy never gave himself the credit he deserved so it's no surprise that he wouldn't know when someone was crushing on him. Hell, he even thought Jane only wanted to be his friend until they both confessed their feelings to each other. When he got to his room though he didn't say anything about it to Carlos. Part of Jay was waiting for the right time but the larger part of him was clearly just scared.

"Hey Jay, are you alright?" Carlos asked him.

"Y-yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Jay replied, caught off guard.

"Well you've barely said anything to me since walking in and that was an hour ago. Plus, you're kinda sucking at this game, although you always kinda do anyway." Carlos teased poking his tongue out at Jay.

"Hey! Take that back! I'll make you pay!" Jay play tackled Carlos to the floor before getting his head in an arm lock. "Say I'm the greatest! Say Jay's the greatest!"

Carlos remained quiet. In fact, the only sound Jay could hear was Dude's whimpering but when he looked around he couldn't actually see Dude anywhere. It then dawned on him that it was Carlos making those noises. A pang of guilt suddenly hit Jay square in the heart. He never wanted to be the cause of any of Carlos' suffering.

"Hey, C, I'm sorry. I was only joking. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Y-y-you didn't. S-s-sorry. J-j-just a bad me-me-memory." Carlos eventually stuttered out. He looked shocked and his face had turned even whiter than his hair.

"Oh C, I'm so sorry, I forgot how Cruella treated you. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." Carlos didn't say anything so Jay just held him close instead. "Carlos, you're safe here. You never have to worry about her ever again. I'm here. I'll protect you. I've got you Carlos." Carlos had stopped whimpering but tears were still coming out of his eyes as he gripped Jay closely, making Jay's heart skip a beat.

"It wasn't just her…" Carlos muttered under his breath.

"What?" Jay replied, he thought he had heard what Carlos had said but he didn't want to believe it. Jay had watched Carlos so closely back on the isle after the way he found him that day. If anyone else was hurting him, Jay would have known. "Who else hurt you? Tell me Carlos. Please."

"Forget about it."

"Carlos! Please."

"Just please forget about it, please Jay." Carlos begged. "I think I'm going to have an early night. Sorry Jay, really, it's not your fault."

Jay still felt responsible though and it hurt to see Carlos get under the covers and snuggle into the blanket like it was his shield. It hurt him so much that he had brought out these memories in Carlos' head. If only he knew who else had hurt Carlos back on the isle. Jay knew it was too late to do anything about it now but he wanted to know. He cared too much about Carlos to let it go. However, he also cared too much about him to share his secret with Evie and Mal.

Jay knew Carlos would eventually tell him so he would just have to wait.

Be good Auradon, someone's watching ;)


	4. Chapter 4

The moment Jay tackled him to the ground Carlos could feel that something wasn't right. When he told him to say he was the greatest, Carlos cracked and all the memories he had tried to bury came flooding back. Harry had said the same things to him during their time together. It had shaken Carlos to the core so much so that he couldn't really do much after except lie down and gather his thoughts. Carlos thought he was safe inside his bed. Even though Dude was at the Vet for a regular check-up Carlos still felt safe knowing Jay was lying the next bed over.

At first Carlos' dreams were uneventful, nice even. That was until the sinister hook appeared around a corner with Harry's signature "Coochie coochie coo" that always sent shivers down Carlos' spine. He awoke to see Jay shaking him, panic and worry etched clearly into his handsome face. Carlos didn't say anything but simply latched onto Jay for comfort. Jay was caught off guard but he lay down next to Carlos and held him tight while the younger boy quietly wept into his chest.

"It was Harry Hook wasn't it?" Jay finally whispered. Carlos didn't even have to answer, he just nodded and clenched his eyes tight. "What happened between you two?"

"We dated."

Suddenly Jay was paying attention. He never realised that Carlos had dated a guy before, suddenly there was new hope for him. Still, it horrified him to think what Harry could have done to turn such a brave man into the person now clutching Jay's chest for safety. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Honestly, not really but I think it would help me to get it out there. I've never actually mentioned it to anyone before. It might help to get it off my chest." Carlos began his story and described the horrible time in his life when he dated Harry Hook.

It wasn't really dating, not in the traditional sense anyway. Carlos did find him attractive but Carlos also knew his personality which really put him off. Harry was a sadist who loved to control others. The only one who actually had any control over him was Uma and her feud with Mal meant she would never have stopped Harry even if she knew. It was never his choice that they get together. Carlos was walking home alone from school one day when he suddenly felt a hook dig into his right shoulder "Ouch!" Carlos screamed before been swung around and shoved against a wall.

"Hey puppy boy, you're Cruella's little runt aren't you?"

"Y-yes. Why? What do you want Harry?"

"Straight to the point. I like that. You. I want you. You're gonna be my little puppy boy and do exactly as I say."

"Really? W-why would I do that?"

Harry hit him hard with the flat side of his hook. "Because if you don't I can do a whole lot worse."

Like that Carlos was Harry's. He did exactly as he was told and was punished when he failed to meet Harry's expectations. At first Carlos had hoped that Cruella would be annoyed that someone was taking up his time. After seeing the marks Harry left on him though Cruella was actually delighted. "Finally! Someone who can teach my boy some manners!"

Harry had complete control over Carlos and the only people who knew were Harry, Cruella and Gil who would occasionally join in. Harry seemed to enjoy the fact that Carlos had to do exactly what he said. Carlos dreaded the weekends when Harry was allowed to take Carlos on his boat for the whole weekend. It always involved Carlos wearing nothing but the puppy leash Harry had bought him. At first Carlos had stayed very still and just let Harry rape him however he wanted. However, Harry quickly grew bored of this and so began to use his hook to make Carlos squirm. At the end of the night Harry would always spoon Carlos but he kept the hook tight around Carlos' neck so he knew that he had no choice.

Around this time Carlos became very fond of scarves because they hid most of the bruises and scars that Harry left behind. The downside to this would be when he got home and Cruella decided he wasn't bruised enough. Occasionally this lead to black eyes and broken noses which Carlos couldn't easily explain away. He just let everyone believe that it was Cruella.

Harry enjoyed this. He loved to see Carlos embarrassed and helpless to do or say anything. This is why he often invited Gil over to share. Carlos would have one cock in his mouth while the other was fucking him mercilessly until they came. If they got tired Harry would just stick his hook up there to plug him up and keep him uncomfortable. Carlos hated it but Harry loved it.

Occasionally Harry would actually be super sweet to Carlos and catch him off guard. For their anniversaries or Carlos' birthday Harry became really nice and it gave Carlos hope for his future. Then the day would end and it would go back to normal. Eventually Carlos actually believed what Harry would say to him when they were together. He began believing he was worthless and of no good to anyone. Harry brainwashed Carlos into thinking his whole world revolved around Harry and making him happy.

Eventually though, Cruella grew tired of the backlog of washing and ironing that had crept up when Carlos was busy with Hook. Cruella told Carlos to break things off with Harry but Carlos was too scared to so she beat him black and blue. Carlos managed to survive that beating but he took several days off school to recover. When he eventually went back Harry was fuming.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU NEED TO TELL ME THESE THINGS! YOU REALLY ARE A WORTHLESS LITTLE RUNT. A COWARDLY BRAINLESS RUNT! SAY IT! TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE!"

"A worthless, brainless little runt sir."

"EXACTLY. NOW GET DOWN AND MAKE IT UP TO ME!"

Later that night after Harry had filled Carlos three times with his load and he was holding Carlos tight in an embrace, Carlos told him what his mother had said. Immediately Harry lost his temper again and flew right off the handle. He told Carlos that without him he was nothing.

"You're just a worthless little toadstool. Without me you'll have nothing. You'll be nothing. You can walk away but you can never leave me."

Carlos pleaded with Harry and tried to explain that it wasn't his fault. He wanted to be with Harry but his mother wouldn't let him. Harry was not hearing any of it though and his temper grew and grew until he finally lost it completely and just battered Carlos non-stop until he could barely breathe. Harry just left Carlos lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Carlos crawled as far as he could through the isle before collapsing. He was sure that he was going to die before he felt a shadow pass over him and he felt himself been lifted up into the arms of one of his friends. He blacked out in Jay's arms and only fully regained consciousness a few weeks later.

"So that's why I reacted so badly earlier when you had me in a head lock. It's what Harry used to do to me and what he made me say. I'm sorry Jay. I'm so-" Carlos could not finish what he was saying because he burst into tears. The memories of that horrible time continued to haunt him to this day and he still had the occasional nightmare. It was only in Jay's arms that he finally felt safe again.

Be good Auradon, someone's watching ;)


	5. Chapter 5

Jay's heart broke as Carlos was telling his story. Jay was also ashamed to admit that some parts had caused him some arousal but those feelings were quickly overtaken by ones of sadness and sorrow. How could Jay have been so self-absorbed back on the isle not to notice such a major shift in his friend? To be totally honest, Jay hadn't even realised that Carlos had started wearing scarves, he just assumed he always had. In Jay's defense, selfishness is the law of the land on the isle so he wouldn't have been alone but maybe if he had noticed he could have done something before it escalated further. Now he had a crying boy in his arms and nothing to say.

"Oh Carlos… I'm so sorry. I had no idea what it was like for you. I should have done something. I should have realised a change in you."

"It's-it's not your fault." Carlos sobbed as he hugged in closer to Jay. Jay was loving this sort of attention from Carlos, it was what he craved. Jay only wished it could have happened for any other reason than this. Carlos was raped and abused repeatedly and no one noticed. Jay suddenly realised how alone he must have felt.

"Carlos, I want you to know that you are never alone anymore. I will always be here for you." This only caused Carlos to cry harder and so they just lay in silence while Jay stroked his back and held the poor boy to his chest. It was a shock to see someone like Carlos like this so Jay knew what Harry did must have been beyond imagining.

It took thirty minutes for Carlos to fall asleep and stop crying but when Jay went to pull away Carlos only pulled him closer. Jay got under the covers and fell asleep with his head resting in the white mess that was Carlos' hair.

Jay woke to the sound of someone picking the lock to their door. It was early but the sun was just starting to rise. Jay quietly rose from the bed without waking Carlos and walked to the door. Before he got very far Chad sneaked in but froze when he saw Jay was awake.

"Seriously bro? Again?" Jay gave him an annoyed expression.

"But your printer is so much better than mine!" Chad whined.

"If it keeps happening I'm going to have to tell the Fairy Godmother."

"Oh, come on! Please don't tell her! Mum and Dad are sticklers for the rules and it's unbearable when they get a letter from her. They don't get mad, just disappointed. It's sooo much worse! Come on, please!" Chad begged.

"Fine, but be quiet, don't wake Carlos. If it matters so much to you I can get Carlos to have a look at yours. Maybe then you won't be sneaking into our room so much."

"Thanks man! You're the best." Chad almost yelled.

"I said quietly!" Jay hushed, taking a quick glance at Carlos to make sure he was still asleep. The poor guy had been through so much and he needed to get some rest. "Set it up and I'll bring it you when it's finished."

"Okay, thanks."

"Don't sneak in here again or I will tell her."

"Okay, fine. Thanks man." Chad set up his printing and then left the room. Jay rolled his eyes when he saw what was so important that he had to sneak in here to print it. It was just another Chad 'action figure'. That kid was so vain sometimes it amazed Jay that he was born in the United States of Auradon and not on the Isle of the Lost.

Jay was glad he had woken up before Carlos, it saved them an awkward conversation. Jay still had a lot of feelings for Carlos but he wasn't sure if Carlos had the same feelings for him. There was a point though, right before he'd first asked Jay tips on asking a girl to Cotillion, when Jay thought for a second that Carlos might be about to confess something to Jay. It disheartened him a little when Carlos instead asked for Jane. Jay decided to go for a run to clear his mind, it was the only time he could these days. Otherwise he was consumed by his thoughts for Carlos. If only he could be as brave as him and tell him how he really feels. Carlos managed to survive such horrible treatment by Hook and yet still manage to turn out the way that he did. It made Jay feel sad that he couldn't even do a fraction of that and tell Carlos how he feels.

Jay had just finished brushing his teeth when Carlos finally awoke. "Are you alright man?" Jay had to ask, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, it's water under the bridge. It did feel good to get it out in the open though, I've never really dealt with it before. That's the first time I've actually cried about it, I never could at the time as it only spurred Harry on to see me…"

Jay knew he had lost Carlos again at this point. His eyes started welling up and Jay rushed to his side.

"It's okay, I'll be fine." Carlos composed himself. "Can you please just keep this between us? I don't want anyone else to know, okay?"

"Of course." The thought hadn't even crossed Jay's mind. "But if you ever need to talk to anyone about it again, I'm always here. I know it helped you to get it off your chest."

"Jay…"

"Yeah?"

"You're a great friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I don't know what you'd do either." Jay joked, trying to downplay how much that really meant to him.

"Haha screw you!" Carlos laughed. It felt good to Jay that he was able to bring back some semblance of happiness into Carlos' life. Carlos had had it harder than most, even by Isle standards.

"Oh yeah, by the way, I said you'd go around and upgrade Chad's printer so he stops sneaking in here and using ours."

"Oh really? Do I have to?"

"Either that or you can say goodbye to privacy." Jay had something else in mind when he said that but he hoped that Carlos would get the jist of what he was trying to say.

"Ugh fine. But you owe me! Big time."

"Sure thing. What do you want?" Jay flashed him the signature flirty grin he gave all the girls, only this time it actually meant something.

"I don't know… I'll have to think about it." Jay's mind raced with the possibilities but he knew that Carlos would probably just want a video game marathon or something. Either way he didn't care, as long as it meant spending more time with Carlos.

At that moment there was another knock at the door and they opened it to find an exasperated Fairy Godmother holding Dude.

"Finally! You guys took forever! The vet was nice. I'm hungry. Scratch my butt."

"Haha good to see you back Dude." Carlos laughed.

"I still can't believe you accidentally made that dog speak. He did not stop talking the whole journey over. I would have preferred it if he literally just chewed my ear off."

"She's a bad driver. Where's my food?" Doug asked, happily wagging his tail as the Fairy Godmother paused before walking away flustered.

"At least he stops talking while he's eating." Jay muttered. "Is Mal sure there isn't some reversal spell for that truth gummy?"

"Yeah, I've asked her a hundred times. Dude's a dog so the effects are a bit different and she's not sure if it's permanent or not. At this point, having lasted so long, Mal reckons it'll probably be permanent."

"Ugh, and she doesn't even have her spell book anymore anyway. Haha, we'll just have to make sure his mouth is full."

"Mmmh- that won't – mmgh – stop me." Dude said with a mouthful of food. "Like you can talk anyway, I had to listen to both of you guys non-stop before I could talk. Always going on about how much you love Carlos and don't know how to tell him how you really feel. It's really – " Jay could have murdered that dog. On one hand he was relieved that the truth was finally out there but on the other hand he could really kill Dude right now.

"Wait… you love me? Jay?" Carlos asked, interrupting Dude mid-sentence.

Jay looked from Dude to Carlos, his facing growing red, before he ran out of the room. The truth may have come out but Jay was in no mood to face it.

"Oops… Scratch my butt?" Dude asked.

Be good Auradon, someone's watching ;)


	6. Chapter 6

_(A/N: Thanks for reading, following and favouriting guys. I know the chapters have been short, they just looked longer when I wrote them in a word document. I'm working on longer chapters each time so just bear with me as I'd rather quality over quantity.)_

"JAY! Come back! Please, Jay?" Carlos begged as he ran after the older boy. Despite Carlos' speed he was still no match for Jay who could run one stride for every two of Carlos'. Carlos panted outside Mal and Evie's dorm.

"C, are you alright?" Evie asked when she opened the door. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm al-alright." Carlos panted. "Ha-have you seen J-jay?"

"No, why? Did something happen between you two?" Evie gave Carlos a knowing smile that worried him. Did Evie know something? How did everyone seem to know except for him? Carlos wondered whether Jay could actually have feelings for him. The truth side of Dude's speech had long-since vanished not long after they had returned from the isle so it wouldn't be a surprise if he was just teasing Jay. But still, was Dude smart enough to make something like that up?

"Nah, I was just trying to help him with his homework when he stole my answers and took off. If you see him, tell him I need to speak with him." Carlos had learned early on in life how to quickly make up an excuse, Cruella had instilled that in him.

"Right. See you at breakfast tomorrow?" Carlos knew Evie did not believe him but she was smart enough not to push.

"Of course, see ya then." Carlos hurried back to his room before Evie could say anything else. He had to try and get more information out of Dude. That mutt was going to answer his questions, Carlos was intent on it.

"What exactly did Jay say?"

"You told me that just because I could speak doesn't mean I should."

"Well now isn't one of those times Dude! Speak!"

"I don't think Jay would want me to. I already told you what I know. Do you have any treats?"

"You'll get your treats if you tell me what you know!"

"That's not fair! Come on!" Dude protested. "I won't tell you anything." Dude's tail gave him away though. Carlos knew Dude was always close to cracking when he thumped his tail up and down repeatedly like he was now.

"Tough. What exactly did Jay say Dude?" Dude remained silent but Carlos could see his lips twitch so he pulled out a treat and held it just out of Dude's reach. "Did Jay actually say that he loved me."

"Not fair! You play dirty! He never actually said love but he kept talking about having feelings for you. He kept beating himself up for not being able to come out and say anything to you. Did I do good?"

"Yes Dude." Carlos handed him a treat which Dude swallowed almost instantly. He knew it was unfair to put the dog between him and Jay. He felt bad reflecting on it but Carlos had to know.

He went out searching for Jay again. He searched everywhere inside the castle and out. He even checked Lonnie's room just in case he had sought refuge in there.

Eventually Carlos had just given up and headed back to his room. He tried playing some of the new video games Ben had given them as a thank-you for saving him from yet another love spell. He gave up after a while though because he couldn't focus and he kept dying in increasingly easy scenarios. Even Dude had decided to give Carlos some space to think. Carlos ended up just staying in bed just staring at the ceiling before Jay finally snuck back into the room just after 10 o'clock.

"Where have you been?" Carlos immediately asked, catching Jay off guard.

"Just the library, had to finish some homework." Jay said trying to flash his signature smile but Carlos could see it for the façade that it was.

"Really? You? In the library?" Carlos hadn't thought to actually check there, he couldn't remember the last time Jay had even stepped foot in there of his own volition. The thought actually made Carlos start to laugh.

"Yeah, seriously. It's not funny. I don't want to fail any of my classes and jeopardise my chances of getting on the Tourney team next season."

"So this had nothing to do with Dude saying you loved me and didn't know how to tell me."

"Ah… of course not. I just really had to do that homework."

"You sure left in a hurry though." Carlos pushed further, hoping Jay would eventually break down and spill.

"Like I said, I _really_ had to do that homework." The thief was too good for Carlos to push. He just had to come right out and say it.

"Jay, be honest with me. Do you have feelings for me?" Carlos blushed and continued before Jay had a chance to deny anything. "I- I wouldn't care if you did. I just need to know."

"Carlos…" Carlos felt like Jay was about to admit to it and so his spirits rose as he almost smiled. "I don't. I'm really sorry man, but I only have eyes for the ladies." Carlos immediately felt terrible inside. "Dude must have misheard who I was talking about." Carlos couldn't help but let a solitary tear make his way down his cheek. He sensed that Jay wanted to wipe it away and give him a hug but saw him second guess himself and stay still. "Hey, C, I still love you. Just as a friend though. I'm really sorry. I'm sure you'll find someone way better than me out there. You're amazing Carlos, you don't give yourself enough credit. You're just not for me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It was stupid of me to believe that. Sorry. I know you." Carlos almost felt another tear coming so he rushed off to the bathroom to wash his face. He felt broken inside. He scolded himself as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. How could he have been so stupid? Of course Jay didn't have feelings for him.

"Hey man, are you okay in there?" Jay asked through the bathroom door that Carlos had quickly shut behind him. "I'm really sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"No. It's fine. Really, stop worrying. I was just being stupid. I'm just brushing my teeth."

"Carlos…" Carlos thought Jay was going to say something else but after a moment he heard footsteps retreating and the creaking of a bed. It was finally too much for Carlos and he began bawling as he started brushing his teeth. By the time he spat out the toothpaste the sink was almost more full of his tears than of actual water from the tap. Carlos splashed water on his face to try and hide the fact that he had been crying. His eyes were still red but at least there weren't any tear streaks on his face.

Carlos wasn't really sure what he was expecting or what would have happened if Jay had actually admitted to any feelings between them. He had never seriously considered the older boy as a potential boyfriend. Sure, he had checked him out from time to time but who wouldn't? At the end of the day Carlos knew Jay only had eyes for the women and he began beating himself up internally for forgetting that fact for a moment.

Carlos rushed out of the bathroom and quickly got into bed without saying a word. He couldn't face Jay. He knew in time he would be able to but right now he just needed to lie in bed and think through his feelings. He lay with his back to Jay and the blankets pulled up past his nose so that the older boy wouldn't hear him crying.

Carlos knew he was stupid. Jay was way out of his league even if he did like guys. Jay was sweet, kind, generous and sexy as hell. He was way too good for Carlos De Vil. Deep down Carlos knew he never really belonged with the other VKs. They were all older than him and each had their own thing going for them. Mal had King Ben and her magical prowess (not to mention the ability to turn into a dragon like her mother). Evie had Doug and her incredible fashion skills and brains. Despite being single, Jay could still have had any girl he wanted in Auradon, they all fawned over his muscles and sporting prowess. Carlos had nothing. He wasn't especially good at anything. Sure he had a knack for technology but it wasn't anything special.

It was coincidence that had brought the four together (well, coincidence in the form of Maleficent if you could call the lizard that). Carlos knew they were all so much better than him. He didn't deserve anything as good as them. Cruella and Harry had known this all along, Carlos had just been too stupid to believe them. The son of Cruella de Vil didn't deserve anything like them. Carlos had even sucked at being Cruella's slave, let alone Harry's. He was worthless. This was a fact Carlos had finally been able to accept in himself after so many years of disappointment all leading him to the same conclusion.

The next morning Jay was gone by the time Carlos woke up and he hadn't come back until just after curfew. In their classes he was distant, almost lost in thought. If Carlos didn't know any better he would have thought he saw guilt on Jay's face at one point.

Slowly the two became closer and almost back to normal but they never really reached that point. A week and then a month had passed before they could finally have a normal conversation between the two of them. There was still an awkwardness between them though but Carlos had long since given up on crying. He had come to terms with his worthlessness. His grades had begun to slip and even Dude couldn't cheer him up in the way that he used to.

Slowly he began to curl in on himself and block the goodness out. Carlos wasn't a hero and deep-down he knew he wasn't a villain either. He was just a normal person. No, not even that. Carlos was less than that, way less. He deserved the torment he had received in his past. They were the only people who had seen him as he actually was. If he wasn't so afraid of his mother he would have gone back to the isle immediately. Deep down Carlos knew that was where he belonged; with the scum of the Earth who were worth even more than he. It had taken a broken heart to drive him to the realization.

He was on his way to class one day when he just decided to skip it. He had never done anything like that before but he knew he wouldn't have been any more focused if he had actually gone. Instead he walked right past the classroom and just kept walking. He caught sight of the blue sky outside and decided that some fresh air would do him good.

He spent an hour just aimlessly walking around the grounds. Mal, Evie, Ben and even Jane had tried to ask him what was wrong but he didn't have an answer. How could he? The better question would have been whether there was anything actually right with him.

The sun was beginning to set and everyone had begun to return to the castle for dinner but Carlos wasn't feeling very hungry. The food in Auradon was too good for him anyway. He deserved the food on the isle. Like him, they were rotten to the core. He had taken a seat in the now empty garden when he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his right shoulder. A feeling of dread and acceptance washed over him.

"Coochie coochie coo."


	7. Chapter 7

"Jay, be honest with me. Do you have feelings for me?" Carlos blushed which sent Jay's heart into a flutter. Could Carlos actually like him back? Or would he just look like a fool? Before Jay had a chance to reply, Carlos quickly continued. "I- I wouldn't care if you did. I just need to know."

"Carlos…" Jay wrestled with his emotions. He wanted to scream out to the world that he loved Carlos. He needed the younger boy to know he was loved but Jay's fears got the better of him. "I don't. I'm really sorry man, but I only have eyes for the ladies. Dude must have misheard who I was talking about." Jay saw the inkling of a smile on Carlos' face quickly turn into a frown. It nearly broke Jay's heart until he saw a single tear roll down his cheek. The sight of that completely tore him up but he didn't want to show it. He needed to say something, anything, but it was too late for him to retract what he had already claimed. "Hey, C, I still love you. Just as a friend though. I'm really sorry. I'm sure you'll find someone way better than me out there. You're amazing Carlos, you don't give yourself enough credit." This was the only truth Jay was brave enough to say out loud. He was a coward and he hated himself for it. Before he could stop himself, Jay continued. "You're just not for me. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It was stupid of me to believe that. Sorry. I know you." Jay did not think it was possible but his heart had broken even more. The 'I know you' had completely obliterated Jay's heart. He wanted so badly to scream out to anyone that would listen that Carlos did not know him. Jay yearned to tell the boy of his dreams, how he really felt but instead he had destroyed him. Jay had no way of knowing the chain of events that his denial had set in motion but it would forever haunt him for the rest of his life. Years later Jay would think back to this moment and want to punch his younger self for being such a coward. He'd want to grab himself by the shoulders and scream into his face, make him see what was right in front of him before it was too late. Before the irrevocable damage was done.

Carlos had ran into the bathroom and Jay could tell that he had tears in his eyes. "Hey man, are you okay in there?" Jay asked through the bathroom door that Carlos had quickly shut behind him. "I'm really sorry if I hurt your feelings." That sounded so weak and pathetic when Jay heard the words leave his lips. He was so much more than sorry but he could not express that. Emotions were not Jay's strong suit. He preferred to settle emotions with his fists and love was just not an emotion that the fist could understand. Jay wanted to break down the door and scoop Carlos up in his arms. He wanted to show him the world. Experience everything so that the day they did die, they could do so happily in each other's arms.

"No. It's fine. Really, stop worrying. I was just being stupid. I'm just brushing my teeth." Jay knew this was a lie, he could practically hear the tears in Carlos' voice.

"Carlos…" Jay started but he knew there was no adequate ending to that sentence that could ever make up for the lie he had just told. The lie he had told ever since he found Carlos lying almost lifeless on the isle. There were no words to make up for the pain he caused Carlos. At least Jay felt he was right about one thing. Carlos deserved so much better than him. He was the shining light on that isle of darkness and yet Jay had just tried to shut him down. Jay paused outside the door, trying to grasp what was left of the tattered relationship between the two, before heading back and getting into bed.

He lay absolutely still trying to clear his thoughts but the muffled whimpering that Carlos was trying to hide in the bathroom could still be heard. The quiet sounds were worse than anything. Carlos wasn't crying to get attention, he was crying because Jay had ripped out his heart. Carlos hadn't even cried when Harry Hook had tormented him and ruled his life for all those years. It was Jay that had caused the pain and he knew it. He wanted nothing more than to curl up and die even though he knew that he deserved a much worse punishment. He deserved Carlos' upbringing and relationship with Harry ten times over and it still would not be enough.

When he heard the click of the bathroom door he rolled over and was about to open his mouth and apologise again when he saw the red eyes. Those red eyes would haunt him for many sleepless nights. Carlos had moved quickly but Jay had still seen. He wanted so badly to reach out and touch the boy he had hurt so much. Evie and Mal were right, Jay did leave a trail of broken hearts in his wake. He had just never even conceived the possibility that he would have to stare at one all night. Especially not one like Carlos.

He barely got any sleep that night as the sounds of Carlos whimpering continued into the early hours of the morning. The only time the whimpering stopped was when Carlos would fall asleep but that would only be temporary. Every time Jay tried to close his eyes all he saw was Carlos staring back at him with puffy red eyes. When Jay did manage to fall asleep he dreamt that he was drowning in a sea of tears, Carlos' tears.

Jay rolled over and looked at the clock. It was still too early to go for breakfast but he couldn't stay in this room any longer. It was destroying him lying so close to the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and know the damage he had caused him. Without making a sound Jay got dressed and slipped out of the room into the empty castle.

Every footstep seemed to echo in Jay's head. He had tried to avoid the life his father had envisioned for him but in doing so had inadvertently created one so much worse. Now he walked through a castle as empty as he felt inside. He saw no one as he made his way outside.

Jay just ran. He ran, and ran, and ran. Like he had all his life. The one thing Jay was good at was running away from things. It was a skill he had picked up from an early age. On the Isle it had served him well but now it was coming back to haunt him. Jay pushed himself further than he ever had before and before long could feel pains in his chest as his lungs struggled to fill with air. His body wanted to stop but Jay pushed through the pain he so much deserved. When at last he could not continue Jay stopped and found himself by the Enchanted Lake. It was a place Mal had told him about but he had never seen its brilliance for himself.

Jay had dreamed of taking Carlos there on one of their dates. It was the only place Jay could think of that was as special as Carlos was to him. There was no one around so Jay just yelled into the air. He yelled and yelled and yelled until his voice was hoarse and his throat was hurting. The sun was well and truly up by now but Jay did not feel like returning to the castle. He wasn't even hungry anymore. He could not bring himself to face Carlos, he didn't know how he would ever do so again.

The rest of the day he lay by the lake. He could not even bring himself to go for a swim, he did not belong in such brilliance. In Jay's eyes the only way he ever could would be with Carlos and that was never going to happen now. Why did he have to be such a coward? He was normally so smooth but when he was around Carlos he just lost everything. Carlos made him want to be a better person and he had repaid him by crushing his heart. Not even Evie's mother could have done a better job.

"Hey, Jay, are you alright?" As if hearing her name mentioned in Jay's thoughts Evie had appeared on the other side of the lake.

"Wh-what? Evie? Ho-how did you find me?" Jay was genuinely surprised, he had not expected anyone out here today, the weather was not so great, even by the Isle's standards.

"I wasn't looking for you, you self-entitled ass." Evie jabbed. Jay thought it might be a joke but he wasn't sure, maybe Carlos had told her. Maybe Carlos had told everyone. At least then they would all know who he really was. "I came out here for inspiration. Ben and Mal are always going on about how beautiful it is out here I thought I might be able to bring some of that into my dresses."

"How long have you been here?"

"Long enough. Why were you yelling?"

"I tripped over a rock and it felt good to let it out." Jay lied without a second thought. "I didn't think there would be anyone out here, sorry."

"Sure." Evie clearly didn't believe him but the good thing about Evie was that she always knew when to push and when to pull back. "Hey, did you and Carlos sort out your issue last night? I caught him outside my room panting and yelling after you? Something about you stealing his homework?" Evie was genuinely concerned and it hurt Jay to know that he had to lie to her again.

"Y-yeah. His is always so much better than mine. I'd rather just have the answers than the reasoning behind them." In some ways Jay was relieved, Carlos had not told anyone. Jay knew if he was going to tell anyone Evie would be the first. It still hurt though, that Carlos was protecting him after everything he had done to him. Why did Carlos have to be so good? It would make things slightly more bearable if Carlos was like anyone else back on the island. But no, Carlos was perfect and Jay had had to ruin it. Just as he ruined everything else in his life before he came to Auradon.

"You're never going to learn that way." Evie tutted. "So, are you going to help me or not?"

"What are you looking for?"

The rest of the afternoon and most of the night Jay spent with Evie. Normally he wouldn't be interested in all this fashion nonsense but it was a distraction and Jay needed as much of that as he could get. He had classes again tomorrow and he would have to face Carlos. He would do anything to prolong that reunion.

He snuck into the dorm when he thought Carlos was asleep and quickly got into bed. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't eaten all day but he didn't feel hungry. All he felt was guilt. A deep and never-ending pool of guilt that was slowly consuming him.

The next month passed by slowly for Jay. Every moment he spent with Carlos felt like an eternity. Eventually they had started speaking again. They never mentioned anything about what had happened but Jay could see in Carlos' eyes that he had not forgotten. Every time he got lost in those beautiful eyes he felt an intangible amount of guilt that rocked him to his rotten core.

Though they were speaking something was holding both of them back. Jay knew his guilt was to blame but he was unsure what was happening with Carlos. Every time he saw him he just looked empty and hopeless. He would occasionally put on a false smile and fake a laugh when the occasion called for it but Jay knew Carlos well enough to know that he was lost.

"What happened to Carlos?" Evie asked the group one day.

"I'm not sure, he's been like that for weeks." Mal replied as she gripped Ben's hands. "Has he said anything to you Jane?"

"Not me. Normally he is so much happier and we joke around while studying but lately he has just been so focused and it's been hard to get through to him at all. I've asked him if anything is bothering him countless times but he just shrugs and tells me not to worry."

"Should we talk to Uncle Doc?" Doug asked. "He does have some experience with dealing with Grumpy's mood swings. Maybe he could help?"

"I don't think Doc is gonna help Carlos. But thanks, I'll keep him in mind." Evie gave Doug a reassuring smile as she rubbed his hand. "Jay? Has he said anything to you?"

"Nah, not really. Even Dude has been feeling a little left out lately. Carlos hasn't taken him for walks or anything in nearly a month." Jay knew the reason why but he didn't want to bring anything up. He was still too afraid to say anything to anyone, not even his closest friends.

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Mal asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as she gave a sideways glance at Evie.

"Yeah, he's been different ever since that night I caught him chasing you down? What happened?" Evie added.

"Nothing, seriously, all I did was take his homework. He was fine after that we even played video games for the rest of the night. I don't know, something must have happened during the night. Maybe he's having nightmares again."

"About Cruella?" Mal asked.

"Yeah." Jay paused carefully to consider his next sentence. "Among other things."

"What other things?"

"That's not my place to say. He made me promise not to tell. Don't even try the green eyes trick, it won't work on me." Jay had done so much damage to Carlos he could at least protect his secret. It was bad enough that he had even hinted at anything else. Why did Jay have to be so horrible to the one he loved?

"What happened with Cruella?" Ben asked. The others around the table immediately looked away except for Doug. Carlos must have told Jane while they were together. No one was speaking so Jay decided to answer.

"Hell. Cruella treated him like her slave rather than her son. He did all her washing and ironing and if ever he made one tiny mistake she would lock him up in her closet which was full of traps which were hard to see in the dark. He was left alone for days at a time with nothing to light the way and barely a blanket to keep him warm at night. All that mattered to Cruella were her clothes. Carlos could have died for all she cared, as long as he didn't stain her clothes she'd be fine." Tears welled up in Jay's eyes as he said this.

"Oh… that's horrible. Why her closet though?" Ben asked, his face suddenly joining the others around the table.

"That's where he lived." Evie replied sadly. "He had it the worst out of all of us. One time she beat him so hard he nearly died. Luckily Jay found him lying in the streets and carried him to me."

Jay didn't bother correcting her. Carlos had never said it was Cruella but they had all just assumed. He wasn't going to spill Carlos' secret and hurt him any more than he already had. "I'm going to go to bed, he might be there and I'll see if I can talk to him." As Jay got up a look of concern swept through the group. No one wanted to say it but if Jay couldn't get through to him then Carlos was in more trouble than even Doc could handle.

As he was leaving he heard Ben say "I never realised how bad you guys had it on the Isle. If I had I would have brought the others over so much sooner. How can someone to do that to someone they love?" When there was silence Ben continued "Surely even villains love their kids, just a little?" The silence around the table confirmed Ben's fears. "Oh… I'm so sorry."

Jay bit back tears as he rushed back to his room. Jay felt he was no different to Cruella. Her punishments were physical but his were so much worse. Physical scars heal but emotional ones can linger for a long time, if they ever heal at all.

He was surprised when he got back that Carlos wasn't already in their room. Normally he would be studying at the desk or playing a video game by now. Jay assumed he went to the library to be alone. It's all Carlos seemed to want to do these days; be alone that is. Studying had slowly been slipping off his radar.

Jay grew concerned when Carlos didn't show up that night or when he didn't attend their classes the next day. By lunch time Jay was becoming frantic.

"Guys! Have you seen Carlos at all?" Jay asked Evie, Mal, Ben, Doug, Jane and Audrey as they sat together at lunch. They all shook their heads. "He didn't come back last night and he's missed another day of classes. Come to think of it, was he in any classes yesterday?"

"He was in my morning class but he missed the afternoon one we have together. Where do you think he could be?" Evie asked concern growing on her face along with everyone else at the table.

"We should ask my Mum, if anyone knew, she would. In the least she would be concerned that he's missing classes and skipping curfew." Jane suggested. They all nodded and rushed off to see the Fairy Godmother.

"I'm so sorry guys, Carlos said he had already told you all." Fairy Godmother said, a sad look on her face.

"Told us what?" Jay demanded.

"I'm so sorry to tell you children that Carlos has returned to the Isle."


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm so sorry to tell you children that Carlos has returned to the Isle. I tried to convince him to stay but he was very adamant about leaving. He said he no longer felt like he belonged here and that the Isle was where someone like him truly belonged." Fairy Godmother began to tear up. "I told him to sleep on it but he insisted that he be escorted back to the isle immediately. I had no choice. I could not hold him here against his will."

"But he left all his stuff behind! Why did you let him go? You had a duty of care!" Jay nearly screamed. He knew it was all his fault. He had driven Carlos to believing he was not worth anything. He had destroyed any hope Carlos had of a future. If anyone belonged on the isle, it was him and not Carlos.

"I am sorry Jay but I did all I could. I know this must be distressing for you but please mind your tone. This is a school after all and I am your Head Mistress."

"I'm sure Jay is sorry, we're all just very concerned for our friend. Did you notice anything strange about him when he came to see you? Did he seem different at all?" Evie tried to reconcile.

"Well he wasn't as happy as he normally was but he has been like that for the better part of a month, surely you would have noticed. Other than that…" Fairy Godmother paused, deep in thought, before continuing "Now that you mention it he did have some blood on his right shoulder and a bruise across his face. I asked him what happened but he just said he got hurt playing Tourney with you, Jay."

That had confirmed it, it was Jay's fault. Jay had pushed Carlos too far and now he had to go and rescue him from the isle. How could he have been so callous? Why hadn't he just come clean to Carlos when he had the perfect opportunity? He was such a coward and Jay hated himself for it. He loved Carlos more than anything and now all he wanted to do was bring him back safely. He did not care if Carlos never wanted to see him again, as long as he was safe.

"I need to go. Ben, can you get me across to the Isle?" Jay surprised Ben who was unsure of how to proceed.

"Of course I can, I'm the King. But are you sure that you want to do that?"

"More than anything. Carlos does not deserve to be in that terrible place. If Cruella gets her hands on him he'll be dead for sure. Not to mention what Uma or someone else might do. You saw how unpopular we are there now."

"I'm going with you. Don't try and fight me on that." Evie said.

"Me too." Mal added. "Ben, you have to stay here though. Last time you were there things didn't go so well. I do not want to have to rescue you again as well as Carlos."

Ben looked embarrassed but he agreed after a bit of encouragement from Mal.

"Children, children. Surely there must be another way of getting Carlos back. Have you tried calling him?" The Fairy Godmother seemed desperate to find any reason to stop them from going back there.

"This is the Isle of the Lost. Even if Carlos still had his phone there wouldn't be any signal anyway. We have to do this alone. We may have been gone a while but that is still the island we grew up on. We left it together and we'll bring Carlos back together." Mal replied triumphantly, her eyes glowing green with the thought of it.

After some more persuading Ben finally agreed to grant them passage to the isle. He gave them a car and the remote to activate the bridge. "Please promise me that you guys will be safe."

"Of course we will Benny Boo." Mal teased. "Relax, this is still our turf and this time we won't have you slowing us down or distracting us."

"You're so lucky that I love you." Ben replied blushing bright red.

"Guys, can we please cut the lovey-dovey crap. Carlos is in trouble and the longer we delay the worse it could get." Every second Jay was away from him it hurt. He had never realised how much he needed Carlos until the thought of losing him had become a very real possibility.

With one final kiss Mal and Ben parted and Jay began to drive off towards the Isle.

"Where do you think he could be?" Evie asked as they neared the bridge.

"With Harry Hook." Jay replied. He had known the moment Fairy Godmother had mentioned the blood on Carlos' shoulder and the mark across his face.

"Harry? Do you think that goddamn Shrimpy could be behind this?" Mal asked, her eyes flashing green with hatred.

"No. Just Harry. Working alone for once in his miserable life." Jay replied, his muscles tensing as rage flooded through his body. If Harry had Carlos then things were really very dire. The last time Carlos had tried to break up with him, he had barely survived. Jay would hate to imagine Carlos' punishment for leaving Harry on the isle.

"Why would Harry want Carlos?" Evie asked, puzzled.

"They used to have a thing."

"No way!" Evie and Mal replied simultaneously.

"Yeah, though it wasn't really dating. Carlos was more his slave than boyfriend. He was very abusive towards him and raped him every chance he got. He even shared him with Gil from time to time."

"No way!" Evie said again. "That brainless idiot!" Jay was unsure whether she meant Gil or Harry but he didn't really care. They were both in big trouble if they got within arm's reach of Jay.

"That day I found Carlos nearly dead…" Jay breathed heavily, tears beginning to form in his eyes. He couldn't remain stoic any longer. He loved Carlos and he was going to tell him the moment he found him. Be damned with the consequences and what anyone else thought. "It was Harry who had done that to him, not Cruella."

"Oh my god… I am going to rip that spineless idiot limb from limb with his own goddamn hook." Mal replied, her fury only rising.

"But why would Harry do such a thing if he liked Carlos?" Evie asked, she too was beginning to tear up at the thought of Carlos left raped and abused, bleeding out on the ground.

"Carlos was breaking up with him. At first Cruella had loved Harry because he abused Carlos as much as she did. Eventually though she grew tired of sharing him and so wanted him all to herself again. Carlos was afraid of both of them but he had to live with his mother so he tried to break things up with Harry. Harry did not like that at all so he beat him and left him to die. I'm going to kill that motherfuc-"

"That's horrible." Evie interjected.

"I had no idea." Mal added, her fury quickly turning into sadness for Carlos. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"He was ashamed. Harry had done some pretty messed up things to him and I think he had started to believe all the stuff Harry had said. After all that torture it would be hard not to believe that there's something wrong with you."

"Why'd he tell you then?" Evie asked, genuinely curious as to the bond between the two boys.

"He still has nightmares about it. It totally destroyed him."

"Poor Carlos. Why would he go with him though? Why not just tell Fairy Godmother what was going on?" Mal asked her eyes shifting to Jay as though she already knew the answer.

"I think…" Now was the moment of truth. Jay had to come clean or else they might never find Carlos alive. "I think that was my fault. I know it was."

"Why would you think something so terrible?"

"Dude let it slip one morning that I was in love with Carlos and didn't know how to tell him."

"Please, we already knew that. Why would that send Carlos over the edge?" Wait, what? They had known? And they didn't say anything? Jay was confused and a little hurt but he knew that he had to tell the girls everything. Even if it meant them looking at him differently for the rest of their lives.

"Because I denied it. I was a coward and a monster and I made him believe I didn't love him. I think that was the straw the broke the camel's back. He was never the same after that. We were never the same. I think he blames himself and feels he is no longer worthy of anything good. I think he's finally given in to everything Harry and Cruella told him over the years."

"Jay…" Evie pitied him, Jay knew it. But she shouldn't. She should hate him. He had single-handedly destroyed their best friend.

"Jay, you can't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault." Mal tried to be supportive but nothing she said could take back what Jay had done. "This is Harry's fault as much as it is Cruella's but it is certainly not yours. They are the ones who put these ideas in his head. They are the ones who made him believe that about himself. You may have been a coward but you were nowhere near being a monster. If you were a monster you wouldn't have cared in the slightest."

"Yeah, and I can tell you care. You haven't been the same either. We didn't want to say anything to your face but ever since it became clear that you had a thing for Carlos you've been distracted."

"When did it become clear?" Jay wanted to know what had given him away. He didn't believe what they were saying about him. The only way he could even begin to make it up to Carlos would be to save him now as he failed to do so before.

"I knew as soon as Carlos mentioned asking Jane to Cotillion." Mal said. "Your response just didn't make any sense until I talked to Evie about it."

"Yeah, we worked it out based on that. You were too dismissive, you didn't help Carlos as much as you would have otherwise." Evie added. "After that it just became obvious to us. You were a better person around Carlos, he brought out the best in you. It was a side we'd never seen before and it was really sweet."

"I don't deserve Carlos. Not after what I did. I destroyed him."

"Seriously, stop!" Mal cried. "I have had enough of your self-pity lately. You were a coward then but now is your chance to man up and do what needs to be done! If you want to make it up to Carlos then this is your chance. Rescue him from Harry. Tell him how you feel. The only way he'll ever believe in himself again is if you do as well. Just stop with all this blaming. Blaming does nothing. It won't bring Carlos back to us and it won't make you feel any better. So stop!"

"Mal has a point Jay. I probably wouldn't have put it so bluntly." Evie gave Mal an evil eye that would even put her green ones to shame. "You need to step up for Carlos and for yourself. You want to prove that you are right for him? Then start making it up to him by rescuing him. This isn't your fault. Carlos became who he is because of you. You rescued him from the streets and you turned him into the strong person you grew to love. Without you Carlos would be dead or still suffering at the hands of Harry and his mother."

Jay had to admit that they both had a point. He had been wallowing in self-pity for far too long. He had forgotten the bigger picture. He was not the one to blame. Harry and Cruella. They were the ones to blame. They had destroyed Carlos from a young age and then rebuilt him into the way they wanted him to act. It was no wonder the poor boy still had nightmares. All Jay wanted to do now was hold Carlos and never let go. He wanted to rebuild Carlos back to the person he was when they defeated Uma and when he had had the strength to ask out Jane. Jay wanted the Carlos he loved back and heaven help anyone who stood in his way.

They didn't get a chance to continue their conversation though as they had already arrived at the isle and parked the car.

"Quick, get the tarp. The only people left here now are the worst of the worst so we can't trust anyone." Mal called as she jumped out.

"Where should we start looking? I heard Harry's ship sank when everyone mutinied so they could leave the island." Evie asked.

"I think it's time we paid Shrimpy a visit. I never got to thank her for casting a love spell on Ben." Mal's eyes glowed green as a wicked look came across her face.

"You know, King Ben sure has been under a lot of love spells." Evie joked. "Have you thought of getting some sort of repellent for him?"

"Haha, very funny." Jay cut in before the two started fighting. "Now can we please just find Carlos? If we're not quick Harry could…" He couldn't finish that horrible sentence. He just froze as tears began welling in his eyes. He had never cried so much as he had at the thought of losing Carlos.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Shall we go?" Evie suggested.

The isle was a lot quieter since the last time they had been there. They hadn't realised how many people Ben had brought over to Auradon but it was clearly a lot. Either that or all the real villains were lurking in the shadows. That very real possibility was enough to spur the trio on to Ursula's Fish and Chippery where they were sure to find Uma still serving tables. Mal hated to admit it but she actually did feel sorry for her. Ever since she was a child Uma had it rough. It was bad enough growing up on the Isle but with a giant octopus for a mother it couldn't have been easy. Mal remembered how cruel she had been to her when she was younger. But then she remembered what Uma had done to Ben and it had made her eyes glow. Suddenly all sympathy for the sea witch's daughter was long gone.

"Well, look who came crawling back. Or did you fly? I can never keep track of what you're up to." Uma jeered as the three came walking in to the nearly empty store.

"I'm flattered you've been keeping track of me. I've been too busy with King Ben to even care about you." Mal replied, the venom clear in her voice.

"Hey, cool it you two. Can you please just put your differences aside for a little while. You can have your little cat-fight later. Right now we need to find Carlos." Evie interjected, much to Jay's relief. He didn't want to get stuck with another showdown between Mal and Uma. That could go on for ages and Carlos might not even have ten minutes.

"What's the little De Vil brat doing here?" Uma asked, the surprise clear in her voice. "I didn't think he would want to come back. His mother has been fuming ever since you guys failed to get the wand at Ben's coronation."

"He didn't really have a choice. Where's Harry these days?" Jay asked.

"Technically we didn't fail. We just chose good." Mal had to slip in causing Jay to give her a death glare that was matched only by Uma's narrowing eyes.

"Why would Harry have anything to do with that white-haired freak?"

"That's none of your business."

"Fine. I don't really care anyway. Harry's been boring me lately, he never can do anything for himself. It's always Uma this and Uma that. But I do know where he is." Uma chuckled an evil glint in her eyes.

"THEN TELL US!" Jay cried desperately.

"Ooooh, and why should I do that when it's so much more fun to see lover boy over here squirm?"

"You'll do it because I doubt you'll want to explain to your mother why a dragon burned down her restaurant. If you can even call it that." Mal snickered.

"Ugh, fine." Uma said, her eyes narrowing. "I was just playing. I don't really care about you anyway, I've moved on."

"Glad you could join the club. I got over you the moment I left for Auradon, without you."

"GUYS!" Evie and Jay both yelled at them.

"Last I heard Harry was at Gil's place working on some project. He disappeared for a while though, I thought he'd left with the other kids to Auradon but then he showed up back here the other day."

"See you around, Shrimpy!" Mal laughed as the three of them ran off towards the Gaston mansion.

As they were running away they could hear Uma scream "YOU'LL OWE ME FOR THIS MAL!" followed by a loud bang and the screams of Ursula telling Uma to shut the hell up.

"Quickly guys, Gaston's mansion is just up here. Where do you think Harry is keeping him?" Jay called from ahead as the others tried to keep up.

"My guess is the basement, Harry always liked the dark locations." Mal called back.

Upon arriving at Gaston's they didn't have to worry about finding Carlos as they could hear his whimpers and Harry's yelling. They followed the sounds to the back door that led directly into the basement. Before Jay opened the door he heard a loud thud and then the whimpers stopped. It was the silence that made Jay's blood turn cold. What if they were too late? What if they hadn't spent so long with Uma? Could he already be dead?

Jay burst open the doors praying he wasn't too late. The scene before his eyes made him cry out as he felt Mal rush past him in dragon form and breathe fire at Harry's shocked face.

"Carlos? CARLOS!" Jay cried as he shook the naked and lifeless body of the boy he loved. He begged for it to not be too late as Mal and Evie dealt with Gil and Harry.


	9. Chapter 9

"Coochie coochie coo." The stabbing pain Carlos felt intensified as his whole body shook. "I've missed you my puppy prince. Have you missed me?" Harry teased as he spun Carlos around to face him.

"H-h-harry! Wh-what are y-you d-doing here?" Fear shone bright and clear across Carlos' face which only spurred the wicked son of Hook on.

"Why, I came for you of course. Have you forgotten what today is?" An evil smile spread across Harry's face as he saw Carlos frantically thinking. "I said, have you forgotten what today is? Or did I st-st-stutter?" Malice washed across Harry's face as he slapped Carlos hard with his hook.

"N-N-no Harry, you d-d-didn't. I'm so-so-sorry but I don't re-re-remember." Carlos tried hard to keep himself composed but being with Harry again brought back so many bad memories. Carlos had long since given up being brave, he no longer had the will after what had happened between him and Jay. He knew he would do whatever Harry said because that was all he was good for anymore.

"Why it's our anniversary! Don't tell me you'd forgotten?" Harry held Carlos' face up to his with his hook so he could look him in the eyes. "Happy anniversary pup! As a special gift I'm taking you back to the Isle with me so you can be all mine again." He began to laugh when he saw the pain spread across Carlos' face. "Oooh, you always knew how to turn me on!" Harry laughed as he pushed Carlos to his knees.

Before Carlos even knew what was going on Harry had pulled out his massive cock and was forcing Carlos' mouth onto it. It seemed bigger than Carlos had remembered as he stuffed all 9 inches of the thick meat down his throat. At first Harry was gentle, letting Carlos go at his own pace. Before long however, Harry was holding his head and thrusting into him with all his might. Carlos felt all 9 inches pushing down the back of his throat as he gagged and found it hard to breathe.

"MMMM YESSS! STRUGGLE! GAG! JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT!" Harry yelled out, unafraid of who might hear or be watching from their window. Carlos was all his now and there was nothing that anyone could do to stop him. "OH PUP! DON'T STOP! GET READY TO SWALLOW MY – " Harry wasn't able to finish that sentence before thick loads of salty cum burst down Carlos' throat to settle in his stomach. "Mmmm, eat up lover boy, that's the best food you'll have in a while."

Carlos was pushed to the ground, his mouth still full of Harry's seed, and Harry jumped on top of him.

"Now, you're going to do exactly as I say or I'm going to put this hook somewhere you wouldn't like." Carlos nodded in agreement. He was too frightened to fight back even if he had wanted to. "You're going to go talk to Fairy Godmother and tell her that you feel you no longer belong here blah blah blah and that you need to go back to the isle. She'll most likely make some speech about belonging and friendship blah blah blah. You are not taking no for an answer, I want you back here in an hour and do not tell anyone what you're doing. If I have to come and get you, it'll be the last time you'll be able to sit on your pretty little ass for a long while." An evil glint shone through Harry's dark eyes as he winked at Carlos.

Carlos did not have to be told twice, he knew the consequences of failing Harry and he was not ready to be reintroduced to them so soon.

"Oh my child! How horrible! Surely there must be something I can do. You shouldn't go back to that dreadful place. You have well and truly earnt your place in Auradon." The Fairy Godmother was shocked to hear of Carlos' decision and had spent the last forty minutes trying to convince him to change his mind. Carlos was nervously glancing at his watch. He feared he had already spent too long here already.

"I've been talking to the others about it for weeks now. They've all tried to convince me otherwise but…" Carlos trailed off, his mind suddenly full of all the happy memories he had made at Auradon. The friendships with Jane and Dude. Especially Dude. Then his thoughts turned to Jay and he remembered why he did not belong on Auradon. He was worthless and did not deserve any love whatsoever, even Harry was too good for him.

"But?" The Fairy Godmother asked, her face full of hope but her eyes betraying her inner sadness.

"But I've made up my mind and there's nothing you could say that could stop me. I'm leaving now, tonight. Don't worry about telling the others, I already have and I don't want to cause them any more pain than I already have. Thank you for the opportunity Fairy Godmother. Take good care of Dude and tell Jane that I love her. You have been the perfect Head Mistress and host to us, thank you."

"Oh my child…" Fairy Godmother began as she finally began to cry. She was unable to finish however before Carlos had rushed out of the room, tears in his eyes as well.

"Took you long enough! I said an hour!" Harry called out as he finally saw Carlos re-emerge into the gardens.

"It's only been fifty minutes." Carlos corrected before realizing what he had done.

"I KNOW THAT!" Harry yelled as he punched Carlos in the face. "Now, don't make me do that again. Let's go, I have the perfect little love nest ready for us back on the Isle." Suddenly Carlos became very frightened again at the very real prospect of going back to the Isle of the Lost.

"What about my mother? How did you even get here?"

"Always with the questions. Your mother is furious at you but she'll never know that you're back. It'll just be you and me. No interruptions." Harry's eyes gleamed as he almost looked happy. That look scared Carlos more than anything Cruella could have had in store for him. Carlos knew that Harry was only ever truly happy when he was using his hook to cause maximum pain. "As for getting here… Well, that was actually quite easy. Benny boo never had a photo of me so all I had to do was change my clothes and hide my hook in my bag so the Palace Guards wouldn't know who I was when they came to take the last group of kids across."

"But that was weeks ago!" Carlos exclaimed, fear suddenly filling his heart knowing that Harry must have been watching him for a while, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When Harry made plans up on the spot he was cruel but when he had weeks to plan things out… well, it was going to be hell.

"Haha, yes it was! It was so fun to see you slowly realise who you are. The others never truly understood you the way I did. Evie and Mal were too busy with their own stuff and Jay was too busy hiding his feelings to realise how much he had hurt you. Ooh, it was so much fun to see you tear yourself apart. Don't worry though, I can help you with that a little later. We'll have an eternity together Carlos and I'm going to make the most of every second." With that thought Carlos had fainted. He had suffered so much at the hands of Harry before that he could not even begin to think about an eternity with him. Carlos knew it could only really last a lifetime, but with Harry Carlos knew that his life span had suddenly shortened quite considerably.

When he finally awoke he found himself in a dark basement that he did not recognise. This wasn't Harry's ship but it was definitely still on the Isle. Even down here Carlos could smell it. The only light was coming through a small window on the far wall. Carlos tried to move closer to it but found himself pinned to the ground. He suddenly felt a chain around his neck and followed it with his hands to find that he had been chained to the centre of the room.

"Well well well. Look who's finally awake! I see you've discovered your new leash, do you like it? I got it especially for you as an anniversary gift. Now you'll always be mine and there's no way you'll ever escape. We can make all the sound we want down here, the room has been sound-proofed and it's not like anyone would help you anyway." Harry snickered as he stepped closer and knelt down before his crying lover. "Oh, don't look so sad, you know how much that turns me on!"

Without any notice Harry flipped Carlos onto his back and tore off his pants and underwear. Carlos felt exposed, all he had on was a shirt and he could feel the cool air envelope his cock and balls. "Ooh, still as smooth as the day I met you. Good boy!" Harry admired while slapping Carlos' ass cheeks. "Mmm, I'm going to have so much fun with this."

Before Carlos could say anything he felt a sharp stabbing sensation as Harry stuffed all nine-inches of his thick cock inside Carlos. There was no warning and no lube so Carlos was screaming out in pain. It hurt him so much, Harry was just too thick and he hadn't had anything up there in years.

"Oooh, so tight! We'll soon have you loosened up, don't worry!" Before long Harry was making long and hard thrusting movements as he fucked Carlos on his side. "You're nothing without me! Say it! SAY IT!"

"I-I-I'm nothing without you!" Carlos screamed as tears flowed down his face. "I-I'm worthless, I'm a pi-piece of shit! I don't de-de-deserve you or your m-m-massive cock!"

"OOOH THAT'S RIGHT BITCH! YOU'RE ALL MINE!" With that Carlos felt Harry's cock spasm inside him as he was filled with a warm load. "Mmmm, now I remember why I kept you alive for so long." Harry slowly pulled out but before Carlos could feel any relief he felt a sharp metal object quickly take its place. "Hahaha, you're mine now pup! Which means I now have the perfect place to store my hook." Harry's laughter reverberated around the room and it became too much for Carlos who fainted again.

When he finally awoke he found himself under a blanket with Harry by his side. He could hear the older boy's soft breathing indicating that he was asleep. Carlos was still too frightened to move, he preferred Harry asleep. Carlos could feel Harry's muscled arms holding him in place and the cool metal hook was still plugging up his ass. As much as Carlos hated Harry for how he treated him, he did always enjoy sleeping together at the end of the night. Harry was a really good snuggler and it made Carlos finally feel wanted for once in his life. He knew he didn't deserve it but the fantasy was good while it lasted. Plus, he did have to admit that Harry was very good looking. Carlos knew he did not deserve someone like that, he did not deserve anything good but he would take what he could get.

The next day passed much the same as the one before. Carlos would wake up to Harry's cock in his face before he would take load after load in his mouth, ass, hair and anywhere that Harry wanted. He was totally Harry's bitch and didn't he know it.

"Hey Pup, I have a little surprise for you!" Harry cooed from the doorway before entering with Gil in tow.

"Oh hey Carlos! How have you been?" Gil asked before Harry punched him in the gut. "Oh right, sorry Harry."

"Now remember how we used to play together back when you were one of us and not an Auradon kid? Well, I have a feeling Gil is going to jog your memory a little."

"Jog? You never said anything about running! I'm still sore from yesterday Harry, please!"

"NOT LITERALLY GIL! It's a turn of phrase, a metaphor."

"Meta-what?" Confusion came to rest on Gil's face as it always did eventually.

"Forget it, just fuck Carlos already!"

"Oh right! You ready Carlos?"

"IT'S NOT UP TO HIM IS IT? THAT'S KIND OF THE WHOLE POINT!" Harry was clearly regretting bringing Gil into the fold.

"Hey, don't yell. This is my house, well my family's, well Dad's but-"

"Seriously. Shut. Up." Harry's voice suddenly became scary and so Gil did as he was told and marched over to Carlos with his semi-erect cock already out. "Suck Gil's cock pup." Carlos willingly obliged. As much as he hated Gil, his cock was slightly smaller than Harry's and so much easier to handle. Plus Gil was a lot more gentle with him.

Before long though Harry and Gil were Eiffel-towering the poor boy who had tears running down his face and was screaming against Gil's cock in his mouth. Harry was tearing up Carlos' insides again but slowly Carlos was loosening and getting used to the heft of Harry's cock.

"GOOD BOY!"

"HARRY! I think I'm gonna cum!" Gil cried out before making Carlos gag on the amount of cum that came out of the boy's cock. Carlos had forgotten how much Gil could ejaculate and so he was choking on it before he accidentally spat some of it out.

"OH YOU IDIOT! DON'T WASTE ANY OF IT! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Harry yelled as he too filled Carlos up inside. Carlos tried to lick it up but it had already seeped into the cracks in the ground and so it was impossible for Carlos to reach it. "YOU'RE SO BLOODY USELESS!" Harry punctuated that remark with a hard kick right into Carlos' stomach.

"YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT!" Again, Carlos felt the sharp pain of Harry's boot connecting with his bruised and battered body. Before long Harry had gotten into a rhythm and Carlos began to taste blood.

"Hey… Harry… I think he's bleeding…" Gil began cautiously.

"SHUT IT!" Harry yelled as Gil retreated to the far wall. As Harry's attacks intensified Carlos began whimpering and crying out for Jay. "JAY?! WHY WOULD YOU WANT JAY WHEN YOU HAVE ME?!" Carlos knew he had screwed up badly. Harry was never going to let him off now, Carlos knew he would be lucky to survive. A flurry of kicks and punches rained down on Carlos as he curled up into a ball and whimpered. One final kick was enough to stop Carlos from even that as he slowly felt darkness take over his vision.

Before completely blacking out Carlos thought he heard a bang from the door and Jay and Evie storm in with a dragon. He felt Jay scoop him up into his arms, screaming his name. The pain was too great, Carlos tried to hold on as long as he could, but he could not last forever. Carlos thought he heard Jay cry out that he loved him but he must have been hallucinating.

Carlos faded into black with one thought in his mind, who could ever love the De Vil?


	10. Chapter 10

"Well isn't this a nice surprise, a family reunion is it? Come to save your wounded puppy?" Harry jeered at them, trying to disguise the legitimate surprise in his voice.

"Wait, are they actually related? I knew they were close, but not that close and you never said anything about puppies!" Gil asked, surprised but for a different reason. It hadn't yet come into Gil's mind as to why Evie, Jay and a Dragon had entered his basement. "OOH! Dad is going to kill me!" He screamed as Mal breathed fire in Harry's direction.

"Let Carlos go!" Evie cried at Harry, moving to cover Jay as he rushed over to Carlos.

"Fine, if you want him so badly, you can take him." Harry sneered. "I was finished with him anyway."

"CARLOS!" Jay's scream rocked the entire basement and even brought Mal back to human form. It was a guttural scream full of torment and feelings left unsaid. For a moment the fighting ceased as Evie and Mal looked over in Jay's direction, afraid of what they might find. It was only a second but in that moment Harry and Gil managed to slip away.

It didn't matter that the pair were gone anyway, the sight of the boy in Jay's arms was enough to make Evie and even Mal stop dead. Carlos had turned as pale as the hair on his head, well the tiny parts of him that weren't covered in bruises had. They could see blood in his mouth and his body was like a patchwork of marks and cuts. Harry had clearly had his way with Carlos.

"Noooo! Carlos! Please stay with me! I LOVE YOU!" Jay cried as he kissed the boy's forehead and then his lips, hoping against hope that True Love's Kiss could save him.

"Even if that could save him, it wouldn't work here." Evie lamented. "There's no magic on the Isle, remember?"

"Then we need to get him back to Auradon as quickly as possible! I'll turn back into a dragon and you guys hop on my back. It'll be quicker to get back to the car that way." Mal's eyes turned green again as she shifted form back into a dragon. Jay needed no encouragement as he rushed in picking Carlos up only to have him snapped back to the ground by the chain tying him to the ground. Jay managed to snap the chain like it was nothing more than a pile of sticks. He had summoned the strength of a mother lifting an incredibly heavy object off the child she loved so dearly. Within seconds he had joined Evie on Mal's back and they were soaring high above the Isle towards the car.

It was only another five-minute drive back to Auradon but for Jay it felt like an eternity. Normally it would have been thirty or so minutes but Mal was driving like a maniac in order to save Carlos. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She screamed as she belted the horn.

"Carlos! Please stay with me!" Jay cried as his tears landed on Carlos' face. It was torture carrying him like that. He felt limp and unresponsive, Jay prayed that they hadn't been too late. He couldn't bear it if Harry took Carlos from him. It was all Jay's fault, it didn't matter what Evie and Mal had said. If Jay had just been honest with his feelings when he had the opportunity... Carlos may have been naked in his arms but at least in a good way. But no, he had been a coward and had destroyed Carlos' life. It hurt Jay that the only times he could be honest about his feelings was when Carlos was near-death in his arms.

Jay couldn't help but stare at the cuts that wrapped around the younger boy's body. There was blood coming out of his mouth and from wounds all over his body. Jay just wanted to curl up and die knowing that he had allowed this to happen to his friend.

"Hurry!" Mal shouted as they pulled up in front of the school. Jay rushed out of the car with Carlos in his arms. He ran through the castle with everyone staring and whispering in worry. They all knew Carlos and it shocked them to see him like this.

"What is going – " Fairy Godmother began as she came out of her office and saw the trio running. Then her eyes fell on Carlos and her heart skipped a beat. "Oh no! Hurry children, the infirmary is this way. OUT OF THE WAY!" Students in front of them leaped into the nearest doorway to avoid been trampled by the group.

They arrived at the infirmary and were greeted by the Nurse. "Fairy Godmother, I heard a – " She was interrupted by the sight of the lifeless boy in Jay's arms. For a moment her eyes went wide before she slipped into Nurse mode. "Hurry! Put him down here at once! I'm going to need all of you to leave, except Fairy Godmother, I have a feeling I'm going to need some magic for this one. NOW!" Jay hesitated, he didn't want to leave the boy alone, he couldn't let him die alone. However, he knew that for the Nurse and Fairy Godmother to be successful they needed time and space so Jay allowed himself to be pulled back outside by Mal and Evie.

"Jay…" Evie began but she struggled with finding the right things to say. There were no words that could make Jay feel any better about any of this and she knew it.

"He's going to be alright." Mal finished trying to be supportive.

"How can you know that?!" Jay exclaimed, begging for any sort of answer that could put his mind at ease. However, there was none that could do so and Mal was well aware of this. Instead they stood in silence for a minute before huddling close together and crying on each other's shoulders. There was nothing that they could do but wait.

"Mal!" Ben yelled as his footsteps rushed down the hallway. "I just heard, is everything alright? Is Carlos…?"

"We don't know Ben." Mal spluttered as she fell into her boyfriend's arms. Doug was right behind him and didn't need to say anything before giving Evie a shoulder to cry on. For a moment Jay was left alone standing outside the doors. He realised that he had no one to lean on when things get tough, it had always been Carlos. Carlos was the intuitive one who always knew the right words to say that could make Jay feel better. Jay may have had a tough exterior but he needed someone like Carlos to keep him grounded and to remind him to care.

Jay couldn't believe that he had failed him. If he had paid more attention to Carlos instead of his own feelings he would have noticed the change in him. Everyone else had but Jay had been too selfish to care.

"Jay…" It was Jane standing behind him. Of course it would be Jane. She was the only one like him who relied on Carlos. Together they held each other and silently wept. It was a heartbreaking scene for all who witnessed it.

They had been waiting outside the hall for hours before the Nurse finally came out to give them an update.

"I'm afraid that Carlos' injuries… well…" Even the Nurse was struggling to find something to say to comfort the group. "We're doing everything we can. Fairy Godmother is casting every spell she can think of and a few she found elsewhere. He is improving but he is far from being out of the woods yet. I'm afraid it's going to be a long night. If you want to go back to your dorms I can – "

"No." Jay replied adamantly. "We'll wait." The others around him nodded. The last thing on their minds right now was sleep.

"Alright, Fairy Godmother has excused you all from the curfew tonight. I'll let you know if his condition changes. We've called some specialists from the nearby hospital who should be arriving shortly to help us. Please send them through when they arrive." With a worried glance around at the group the Nurse returned to Carlos. Through the crack in the door Jay could see Fairy Godmother frantically casting spell after spell on Carlos to try and keep him alive and repair his injuries at the same time.

"Do you think he'll ever be the same?" Jane asked. No one really knew what to say. Who would? Carlos had been brutally raped and abused repeatedly while they had done nothing. If only they'd noticed sooner then maybe Carlos would be awake and not in a coma.

"He's survived it before but it wasn't this bad." Jay tried to comfort Jane but he knew it sounded weak, even he didn't believe in it. No one wanted to add anything else so they just sat together in silence as the sun slowly rose.

Countless doctors and nurses from the surrounding hospitals had rushed through Auradon Prep in an effort to help save Carlos. There were even some news crews outside, though they seemed more focused on the King Ben aspect of the story than Carlos himself.

"Hey guys, we thought you might be hungry so we brought you some breakfast." Up the stairs came Audrey and Dizzy. They both looked like they hadn't slept much the previous night. "Any news yet?" Audrey continued.

"No, the doctors have been in and out all night so at least they haven't given up hope." Mal replied, smiling at the girls. The feud between the two had long since evaporated once they had gotten to know each other. Their mutual disgust of Chad had initially brought them closer together but the thought of losing Carlos was the glue that bound them.

"Jay, how are you coping?" Dizzy asked, she had always known that Jay had feelings for Carlos but she still didn't want to out him to the rest of the school.

Jay couldn't answer, he knew if he did the tears would keep flowing. Instead he just gave Dizzy a massive hug. He really needed some of her brightness and positivity that had shone through even on the Isle. The group ate their breakfast in complete silence. They were all yearning to hear something positive come through on the other side other than the low murmur of worried nurses and doctors.

After a few more hours had passed they heard footsteps heading their way and so they stood up expectantly. It was Fairy Godmother with a worried expression on her face. Jay's heart sank, this couldn't be anything good. He thought he had lost Carlos before and he didn't want to go through all that emotion again.

"Hello children. I'm afraid I've done all I can with magic so now it's up to Carlos to pull himself through. The Doctors are hopeful but we'll just have to wait and see." A glimmer of hope found its way through to Jay who stood in disbelief. He felt like whatever grand deity was watching from above had granted him another chance. This was a chance he was not going to waste.

"Can we go and say hello?" Jay asked, the hope clear in his voice.

"Yes, but only three at a time please. The Doctors still have plenty of work to do and I don't want you to get in their way. You won't be able to talk to him anyway, he's still unconscious." Jay's heart sank at that prospect, if Carlos was still unconscious could he still wake up?

"Jay, Evie and Mal. You guys should go first." Ben suggested. The rest nodded and gave them supportive looks as they walked through the door.

"Oh, C…" Evie cried as she caught sight of the poor boy. Carlos was still naked but he had tubes and pipes coming out of him everywhere. There were some that were containing his internal bleeding and a few making sure he had oxygen.

Jay could not bear this sight. It hurt him to know that his actions had caused Carlos to rely on machines to keep him alive. What if he was stuck like this for the rest of his life? Jay knew he would never leave him and would always take care of him whatever he needed. But would Carlos want to stay alive if this was his quality of life? Surely the humane thing to do would be to let him die rather than suffer through all this pain? Jay did not want to think about that right now, it was way too early and a nurse was coming over to give them an update.

"Unfortunately he still hasn't regained consciousness but he was lucky in avoiding any serious trauma to his head. We believe his body shut down because of the massive trauma it had sustained rather than because of a concussion or the like. This is a good thing." The nurse quickly added seeing the worried looks on the trio's faces. "The Doctors are hopeful that he will regain consciousness and that his mind will still be intact. To what extent his personality may change is hard to tell. He unfortunately did sustain a lot of trauma which can have a negative impact on the mind." The nurse then paused, unsure of how to continue. "There were also indications of rape and we've taken semen samples from his stomach and anal cavity if the case ever comes to trial. If you need anything else I'll just be over here."

The three stood in silence around Carlos as they digested the information they had just been given.

"Harry Hook will be lucky if he ever survives to see a trial." Mal stated, the venom in her voice causing even Evie to step back a bit. Jay may have agreed with Mal but right now his focus was on Carlos. He sat down beside him and brushed the hair out of his face. He looked disheveled and he didn't want any of the others to see him like that. Carlos was normally so brave and full of life and it hurt anyone who knew him to see him like this. Jay took his hand and gave it another kiss, he had long since given up on the fact that True Love's Kiss might work when the Fairy Godmother's magic hadn't but he still wanted Carlos to know that he was loved and that his friends were there.

Jay continued to hold Carlos' hand for the rest of the day, he even fell asleep holding it so that he would know if Carlos woke up. Eventually Mal and Evie left Jay so that some of the others could visit Carlos but at the end of the day only Jay stayed. The others knew that he needed some space. It went unspoken how Jay felt about Carlos but everyone understood. They knew that for the rest of his life, Carlos would be well looked after and protected.

Countless Doctors and nurses checked up on Carlos regularly and his condition was improving, but only slightly. Each time they visited Jay felt a tiny bit better before the guilt of what he had done came crashing down upon him.

"Jay…. Oh Jay." The Fairy Godmother sat down beside him as she gave him a hug. Jay had never had any parent that cared for him but he thought this must be how it felt. "Mal and Evie told me that you blame yourself for what happened but you shouldn't. From what I've been told Harry Hook had a history with Carlos and it would take the strongest will imaginable to have survived it. Carlos has before and he will again."

"How can you know that?" Jay asked, his voice was hoarse from all the crying.

"I have hope, it's the most powerful magic of all. I have hope that Carlos will survive this. I have hope that you and him will find your happily ever after together. I've seen you two together out on the Tourney field and in my classes. You both rely on and look up to each other. You have a strong bond and I have faith that it will see you through."

It was a powerful speech but Jay still held some doubt in himself.

"Have you forgotten? We're villains. Villains don't get happy endings." Jay lamented through gritted teeth, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to stream down his face.

"Oh Jay, you're not a villain and neither is Carlos. Your parents were but you are not. We all make choices in our lives and it's our choices that make us who we are, not our parents. Just look at the two of you. When you first arrived in Auradon and fell out of the limo fighting over a blanket you were vastly different people to who you are now. You saved the kingdom at Ben's coronation and you did it again when you rescued Ben from the Isle. You are both heroes. You are more a hero than most of the students who go this school. You two deserve the happiest of endings. This won't be the end of your story, trust me."

As hard as it was for Jay to do so, he did trust that what the Fairy Godmother had said was true. She was a genuinely good person, well, fairy. She had no ulterior motives and she had succeeded in making Jay feel better.

"Thank you." Jay fought back tears for the umpteenth time that day. "I'd never really thought about it like that before. Thanks." He worked up the energy to give her a smile as she stood up with a worried smile.

"I'll give you two some space. I really do hope he wakes up soon. You two deserve each other." With that she walked away as Jay turned back to the sleeping Carlos beside him. It still hurt to see all the cuts and bruises he had suffered at Harry's hand. Jay fought through it though and gave Carlos a kiss on the lips before sitting back down with his hand held tightly in Jay's own. Almost imperceptibly, Jay felt Carlos' hand tighten slightly around his own. He may have imagined it but Jay didn't believe he had. It made him smile and he fell asleep knowing that everything was going to be alright.


	11. Chapter 11

_(A/N: Thanks again for all the favourites and follows and kind words. There's still plenty more to come in this story, so don't worry. It's far from over.)_

The next few weeks passed slowly for Jay who spent every minute he could with Carlos. The poor boy was still in a coma but his vital signs had gradually been improving and the doctors were certain that he would make a full recovery. Jay already knew this anyway, he had told the nurses about the way Carlos had gripped his hand. They assured him it was a good sign but not to get his hopes up too much. Comatose patients sometimes experienced muscle spasms, especially after the brutal bashing Carlos had endured. Jay paid this warning no heed, Fairy Godmother's speech still ringing in his head. He had hope that Carlos would survive, and faith that they would find their happily ever after together.

Eventually Jay had returned to school after Fairy Godmother had begged him for weeks. As much as she adored Jay's loyalty, she was still the Head Mistress with a responsibility to her students. She had even allowed Jay more time than she normally would, partially because she saw the strength of their love but also because she partially felt responsible for Carlos returning to the Isle. She had been the last one to speak to him before… She could not even begin to imagine what had happened after Carlos had left her office. All she knew was that she had had a chance to stop him and she had failed him.

"Hey Jay, how's Carlos?" Jane asked as he sat next to her in class.

"Still the same, nothing much has changed. Which in some ways is good, because at least he isn't getting worse." Jay had to add the last part after seeing the worry in Jane's eyes. Sometimes he forgot that she too had a lot of love for the De Vil. They spent the rest of the class in silent reflection. Occasionally they would pay attention to what they were being taught but mostly they held hands and prayed for a miracle to save Carlos.

Jay remembered rushing to find Jordan a few days after he had felt Carlos' hand grip his own. He knew that he could really use a genie right then.

"Jay… I'm really sorry but there's nothing my father or I can do. Even if the Fairy Godmother allowed us to use our magic on Carlos it would not be much use." She put a hand on the worried boy who had grown so much in the weeks that Carlos had been incapacitated. "It's for the best. If you wake him up too soon, who knows what could happen. His body needs a chance to heal, his mind does as well. The best thing you can do for him is to wait."

Jay had not wanted to believe her but deep down he had known that it was true. He only wished that he could somehow speed up Carlos' healing but he knew as well how that could end badly. In Jay's experience, wishes didn't always turn out the way you expect them to. Plus, his family never really had the best luck with genies anyway.

"Hey, Jay!" Ben called out as Jay packed his things and prepared to go back to the infirmary. Jay swung around, hope in his heart that this was news about Carlos. "I'm sorry Jay, Carlos is still unconscious, I've just come from the infirmary myself." He had noticed Jay's eyes lit up and did not want to get his hopes up too high. "My parents wanted to know if you would like to come to dinner tonight? Evie and Mal will also be there as well as Lonnie. They wanted to thank you guys for saving me back on the Isle. We wanted to wait until the kingdom had settled down after Cotillion but then Carlos…" Ben trailed off, unsure of how to proceed. He didn't want to upset Jay but he also needed to get his point across.

"I know Ben, it's okay. You don't need to walk on dragon egg shells around me man."

"Of course, right. Sorry. Anyway, so Mum and Dad wanted to know if you were free tonight? It's just they're heading off on their Royal Tour of the kingdom in a few days and they'll be gone for months."

"Listen, Ben, I'd really love to but what if Carlos wakes up? I can't let him wake up alone. He has spent enough of his life like that already."

"Jay, you should go. You need a break." Jane said coming up behind him, her nose wrinkling. "I can stay with Carlos tonight and I'll call you immediately if anything changes."

"Promise?" Jay said, still unsure. He knew if Carlos should wake up with anyone it should be with someone who loves him and he knew that Jane loved him almost as much as Jay did. Almost. Not that it was a competition or anything.

"I promise. Now go, enjoy yourself." Jane paused before a cheeky smile spread across her face. "And for the love of all that is good, take a shower. You stink." Ben nodded in agreement and they all began to laugh. The others breathed a sigh of relief, Jay hadn't laughed for months and it was good to see their friend slowly coming back to them.

"You should probably go see Evie too, I hear she's already got the perfect outfit for you. Don't worry, it's leather." Ben joked, hoping to get another smile from Jay. "Tell Mal I'll see her there, I just need to meet with the council first."

Jay quickly rushed off to his room and took the long-awaited shower. It felt good to just stand there and let the scolding hot water rush over his body. It made him feel alive and reminded him of what was important. Jay must have spent more time in there than he realised when he finally heard Evie banging on the door.

"COME ON JAY! YOU NEED TO GET DRESSED OR WE'LL BE LATE!" Jay smiled as he listened to her worried voice. You could say many things about Evie, but late to a party would never be one of them. "It's nice to see you finally take a shower but it would be even better if you put some clothes on." Evie had long since become immune to Jay's charm, getting to know him tended to do that to you. "I've laid out your outfit on your bed, you have five minutes so hurry!"

"Haha fine Evie, be careful though, wouldn't want you turning into the Fairy Godmother. She always has been a real stickler for time." Jay teased, knowing exactly the right buttons to press to get Evie to wait outside.

Before long all five of them, Ben and Lonnie had joined Mal at their dorm, were making their way over to the Beast's castle. Evie had designed all their outfits; her Evie 4 Hearts business had been booming lately. Ever since the Royal Cotillion every prince and princess in Auradon had wanted a wardrobe designed by Evie. Even Cinderella's mice had begun asking for her advice on certain designs. Mal looked resplendent in a purple gown, similar to the one she had worn after transforming back into herself at the now-infamous dance. Although this one was definitely not smoking, much to everyone's relief. Evie had chosen one of her more conservative numbers for the dinner. Though, for Evie, conservative did not mean much as her gown flowed down around her like an ocean. Lonnie had chosen one of the more traditional dresses her mother had given her though this hadn't stopped Evie from spicing it up a bit. Jay and Ben wore suits similar to their usual formal attire but they looked handsome nevertheless. Dizzy had even donated a few of her headpieces to the girls, just to give them a little Isle Chic.

"I still can't believe you grew up in this giant castle man." Jay muttered, wondering how someone like Ben could not have been corrupted by the elegance around him.

"Yeah, it's like totally amazing. There must be hundreds of rooms here." Evie had really being getting into castle real estate lately, hoping to find one suitable for her and Doug. "What's the square-footage?"

"Uh… I'm not really sure."

"Hey E, leave Ben alone. Can't we just enjoy tonight?" Ben mouthed his thanks to Mal after she had saved him, again.

"Ugh, fine."

The table was full of Auradon's finest delicacies as the group took their seats. Belle and Beast had already arrived and both were looking as young as ever in their yellow and blue outfits.

"You really must try the grey stuff, Lumiere assures me that it's delicious." Belle laughed. "Though he never really gave me a chance to eat anything that first night."

"Forgive me, Madame, I had not seen a human face in so long. I must confess we became very excited." Lumiere defended himself as he entered the room carrying a tray of drinks.

"Oh don't fuss Lumiere, if it weren't for you I wouldn't have eaten at all."

"Lucky for me your mother doesn't rely on first impressions." Beast joked, hoping to move on from his dark past.

"And lucky for you I have impeccable timing." Cogsworth entered the room to move things along. He clearly could not stand when things didn't fit his rigid schedule. This time though Beast didn't mind as it saved him from an awkward conversation about unlawful imprisonment.

"We are so sorry about Carlos, Jay. We hear he's improving though? That has to be good." Belle looked reassuringly over at the ex-thief on the opposite side of the table.

"Yeah, thanks uh…" Jay was unsure what he should call them now that they were no longer the King and Queen.

"Just call me Belle, Jay. I'm sure Ben has told you how much I dislike all this stuffy royal nonsense."

"Thanks Belle." Jay laughed awkwardly before the conversation quickly turned around to more pleasant topics.

Down the table Evie and the Beast were animatedly discussing the up-and-coming neighborhoods in Auradon.

"I'd steer clear of Neverland and Sherwood Forest if I were you." Beast advised. "Those Lost Boys like causing mischief and you'll always be 'losing' things if you move to Sherwood."

"I know! Plus those roads are a real mess. That's why I'm avoiding Camelot as well, not everything has to be dirt. Jay would probably fit right in with the Merry Men though, wouldn't you Jay?" Evie looked down at him and winked.

"Ew, no! What smart man would wear tights in the forest? Let alone to steal? It's just highly impractical and leaves you no room to hide the things you've stolen."

"Ah, I'm afraid some old traditions are hard to shake." Beast laughed, reminiscing about his camping trip with Robin Hood and Marion. He never did find some of his personal belongings again though. "I'm sure you'd feel the same growing up on the isle."

With that the room suddenly tensed up. Any mention of that place made Evie, Mal and Jay feel queasy inside, especially after what had happened to Carlos.

"There's not much of a tradition on the Isle anyway unless you count disgusting coffee or locking First Years in lockers." Jay replied, trying to laugh off the subject and move on to something, anything, else. Beast didn't look like he was going to drop it though and Jay started feeling a little annoyed as he looked around at the sunken faces of Mal and Evie.

Lonnie had picked up on this and was trying to change the subject back to Auradon. "Traditions are overrated. My mother was never a fan of tradition. If she had, we would have lost the war. Plus, I probably wouldn't even be here."

"Good point." Beast replied after his booming laughter had subsided. Jay tried to just block it out as Ben began to notice how uncomfortable his father was making his friends. Beast didn't seem to notice though and kept going on about various aspects of the island. It was all Jay could do not to speak up, he may no longer be King but Beast was still a large presence that Jay did not want to upset.

The Beast began talking about punishments for those who broke Auradon's laws on the Isle. Jay stared across the table at the Beast who had once ruled over Auradon. He was tired of hearing the same speech about trials and civic duties.

"Can we just cut the crap?" Jay blurted out, unable to keep his silence any longer. "There is no worse punishment than that island. Harry has been living his punishment his whole life. A punishment that he never deserved in the first place." A stunned silence fell across the table as Jay continued, no longer able to stop himself. "When you created that dreadful place, you had good intentions. You wanted to keep your lovely kingdom safe from the powers of evil that threatened it. You did it for your kingdom. You exiled every single villain in the land and cut them off from the rest of the world, sealed them away from magic and everything they once held dear. You saw this a fitting punishment, and it was. Then came the children of these villains who, from the moment they were born, never stood a chance. They grew up surrounded by evil, treachery, greed and cruelty. It's all they knew. Cruelty from their parents, their friends, and from you; their almighty King. You sentenced them to a life of torture for a crime they never committed. You failed every single one of them. You failed us. Of course the kids became villains, they had no other choice. Every evil child and wicked teen on that island was your responsibility and you let their parents corrupt and destroy their lives." Jay could not believe that he was actually defending Harry but it had been bubbling inside him for a very long time and, like the volcanoes they used to make in Weird Science back on the Isle, Jay was about to erupt.

"Do you really think Harry would have turned out the way he had if he hadn't been under his father's influence his whole life? How could any of us have chosen good when our parents were watching our every move? They celebrated our wickedness and punished our good intentions. None of us ever had a chance at a good life thanks to you! You had a duty to your citizens and you failed them. Carlos grew up in the back of his mother's closet surrounded by fur traps and only a moldy mattress for comfort. He only ever gained a pillow right before coming to Auradon. It came from this very castle. Like everything else on the Isle, we suffered with nothing but your literal garbage to keep us sustained. Cruella was a monster to him, it's a wonder he didn't turn out exactly like her. Instead he became someone who never believed in himself. He was always told by those around him, and even by you, that he was less than them. He deserved to be treated as a slave rather than a son in his eyes. That's what you did." Tears were flowing down his cheeks but it was too late to stop now. He had to make Beast see. "You even placed the Isle close enough to the mainland that we grew up watching your castles and your fireworks. We saw the grandeur of your lives while we suffered in the dirt. You were cruel and heartless. You may have been a King but deep down you will always be a Beast just as we will always be the kids from the Isle. You saw Family Day that first year we were here! You even took Queen Leah's side!"

"We will always be seen as villains, no matter how many times we save your precious kingdom, because that's the way you created it. Just as we could see you, the people of Auradon could see us. They grew up on the tales of our parents and the dark forces of the island. Of course they fear and mistrust us! You made damn well sure of that! So as much as we can blame Harry for what he did to Carlos and the person he became, we also need to blame you. You created that island and you left the children to suffer in silence." Jay finally managed to stop himself, afraid that he had gone too far. He didn't regret saying it, he had meant every word. Still, he was afraid the Beast would send him back there as punishment for his insolent and treasonous words.

"I never thought…" The Beast muttered, looking at a loss for words.

"Exactly! You didn't think." Jay replied, again unable to stop himself. "Now Carlos is lying unconscious in the infirmary because you didn't think. You were too busy running your perfect little Kingdom to think about the people you had abandoned and the effect it could have. You spared no thought for the innocent and now they have all suffered." Jay got up without asking to be excused. He had had enough of this charade of a tea party. They could pretend to treat them as equals all they liked but deep down Jay could still recognise the slight apprehension of those around him. Whenever he met someone for the first time there was always that glint of fear quickly hidden behind fake smiles and kind words.

"Jay!" Ben called after him but it was too late, he was already heading outside. He really needed some fresh air or he was going to explode. When he finally made it outside to Belle's manicured gardens he was surprised to find that Mal and Evie had followed him.

"Wow Jay." Mal started, still recovering from Jay's outburst. "I never realised how strongly you felt about all that. I've gotta admit that I'm kinda proud of you right now."

"Yeah, me too." Evie smiled. "It took a lot of guts to stand up to Beast, Jay. We were all thinking it as soon as he started talking about the Isle but…"

"I know guys, I'm really sorry Mal if I messed things up between you and Ben."

"Don't worry about it Jay! Ben's a big boy, he'll be fine. He's on your side anyway, he's always thought it was cruel what his father had done to the children of the Isle." Mal reassured him.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's been trying to convince his father for years, that's why he brought the four of us over here first. To prove to his father that the children are not a lost cause."

"I think you may have finally gotten through to him Jay. Or at least knocked the winds out of his sails." Evie laughed. Before long they all were. For a moment they had forgotten about the sadness of their lives and it felt good. The laughing was cut short though by a ringing coming from Jay's pocket.

When he took out his phone and saw it was Jane his heart immediately began to quicken.

"Just answer it Jay!" Mal urged.

"It could be good news!" Evie reassured him.

Jay put the phone up to his ear and could hear Jane's trembling voice on the other line.

"J-j-jay? It's Carlos, he's…."


	12. Chapter 12

The last thing Carlos could remember before blacking out was Jay picking him up in his massive arms. He thought he had also heard Jay mention something about 'love' but he had no idea what that could be about. Everything after blacking out was a complete blur. He could remember some things but not everything. It was like trying to remember a dream and it only fading away faster the more you thought about it.

He remembered a sharp pull around his neck when he had first being picked up. The jarring pain had kept him conscious for a little longer before the pulling stopped and he felt like he was flying high above the island. That part must have been a dream, there's no way he could have been flying, could he?

He then remembered the sound of a car horn and a bumpy road as he heard Jay whispering things in his ear. Things that didn't really make a lot of sense. He thought he remembered Jay repeatedly telling him that he loved him but that must have been his imagination, an effect of the beating Harry had rightfully given him. He had deserved that for mixing up his name. He had to be taught to be better and he knew he wasn't good enough for Harry yet. Still though, as if Jay could actually love him. Jay, the star of the Tourney and Fencing Teams who made every girl swoon and could charm a goblin out of their loot. Jay who had, barely a month before, outright told him that he did not love him.

Carlos still felt as though he did not deserve Jay's love, or the love of anyone in Auradon. They were all too good for him. Cruella and Harry had always known his true worth and Carlos had finally been able to admit that to himself. The others would be better off without him. If only he would die, that would make it better for everyone.

He thought he had heard Mal yelling at people to get out of her way and he felt like it was raining in the car. It must have been as something wet was repeatedly landing on his face. As he fought to stay awake he could make out the sounds of sniffling coming from… Jay? Really? What was he saying? Carlos couldn't hear anything other than the sniffling as his ears were filling with blood. He thought he could feel Jay's muscly arms holding him tight but again, he couldn't be sure if it was just a hallucination. On some level Carlos felt bad for making them go out of their way to save him and on another level he just really wanted to die. That was all that was left for him anyway. He didn't deserve a life on Auradon and he wouldn't survive very long on the Isle anyway. Either Harry or his mother would see to that. Carlos was no use to anyone anymore and again felt like dying was his only option.

Yet something stopped him from truly letting go. He was unsure what it was but he thought it might have had something to do with the strong arms carrying him. He felt like whoever was holding him was running, he definitely felt like someone was screaming but he could not make out any of the words before he drifted back into a dream state.

When next he reawakened his ears were clear but he was unable to open his eyes or move a muscle. He could hear Fairy Godmother standing over him and casting spell after spell. From what he could tell it sounded bad. He felt like he was lying in bed but it wasn't his bed. He felt tubes going in and out of his body everywhere and there was something in his mouth. He had no idea what was happening but he knew it must be hurting everyone around him. He hated himself for that. Time after time he had caused pain to those around him. He had hurt Cruella by not living up to her expectations. He had let down Harry in more ways than he could remember. He had hurt Jane by not being a good enough boyfriend to her. He had not tried hard enough to fix their relationship. He had hurt Evie, Mal and Jay in every way by putting them in this situation. They wouldn't have needed to return to the Isle if he hadn't gone back there himself. All he seemed to do was hurt the people around him and he was sick of it. As Carlos drifted in and out of consciousness he again felt like the best thing to do would be to let go though Fairy Godmother was clearly not about to let that happen.

Each time he awoke he could hear her spell-casting becoming more and more frantically before it finally stopped altogether. He heard footsteps heading away from his bed before many more came toward him. Fairy Godmother had left but there were a myriad of other voices hovering over him and mentioning heart rates and other vitals. Every time he awoke from his daze he could hear different Nurses and Doctors around him. He felt guilty for creating this much of a fuss. He didn't deserve it. They were all too good for him. Why would they want to waste their time on a villain? Carlos felt he wasn't even that, he was a nobody. Lower even than the Goblins on the isle who had once been Maleficent's minions.

The thought of that evil fairy had reminded him again of his friends who must be worried sick. How could he continue to do this to the people who cared about him? What sort of monster allowed their friends to be tormented like this?

One time he awoke he felt someone holding his hand. He could not be sure who it was but whenever he awoke, that same person was still holding his hand. He knew it was the same person because of the roughness of the skin and the softness of the touch. Whoever this was clearly cared a lot about him to stay with him all this time.

Carlos had long since lost track of time and so was unsure if he had been lying there for hours, days, weeks or months. For all he knew it could have been years. The only constant in the ever-changing roster of nurses and doctors he could hear was the person that held his hand. From time to time he could have sworn he felt lips on them but that was probably just another hallucination brought on by his injuries.

He awoke one day to hear Fairy Godmother talking to the person who was holding his hand. He could only make out parts of the conversation in his vegetative state but words like hope and faith sprung out at him until he heard the one name that made his heart beat. Fairy Godmother had called the person holding his hand Jay and she kept mentioning love… could it be? Could Jay really be the person who had stayed by his side and kept him company? Could Jay actually… love him?

Before that day Carlos would not have believed it but knowing as he had that Jay had stayed beside him it must have been true. A friend wouldn't have stayed for as long as Jay had. A friend would have taken breaks and gone away but Jay had always been there. Suddenly he caught another fragment of their conversation and from what he could tell it seemed as though Jay blamed himself for what happened to Carlos.

Now Carlos knew he had to survive. He had to live to tell Jay that it was not his fault. He had to tell Jay that he loved him as well. Carlos knew his only chance at a Happily Ever After was with Jay. He had to clear Jay's conscience. Carlos still felt as though he did not deserve his happily ever after but he could not die knowing that Jay would forever blame himself. That would be a crime worse than any that had been committed by the inhabitants of the Isle of the Lost. No poison apple or sleeping curse could ever come close to the curse of losing a loved one and forever blaming yourself. That was a punishment that not even the worst villains deserved.

Knowing Jay was next to him Carlos focused all the energy he could into opening his eyes or making a sound. He spent what felt like an eternity trying to focus on making some sort of movement but it was of no use. Carlos was trapped inside his own body and he was locked out of the control room. Suddenly he felt a kiss on his lips and a sudden rush of energy gave him all the strength he needed to do one thing. He gave Jay's hand a squeeze. It wasn't a lot but it was enough to let Jay know that Carlos was still there. He tried to do it again but the moment had passed and the strength had gone with it. Carlos felt happy when Jay squeezed his hand back.

For the next few weeks, though Carlos was not to know the length of time, he drifted in and out of consciousness. Eventually he felt Jay leave him which initially worried him until he woke up the next time and felt Jay's hand back where it belonged. Belonged? Perhaps that was the wrong word but in Carlos' head it had felt right. Carlos assumed that Jay had finally been made to go to class and he was happy about this. He felt bad that his worthless life was negatively impacting those around him. Carlos didn't want Jay to throw away his future just because he did not deserve one.

Finally the day arrived when Carlos awoke and realised he could actually see where he was. It looked like the Auradon Prep infirmary but it was hard to be sure. He couldn't feel Jay holding his hand but he could sense that someone was there. At first this scared him because he was worried that it was Harry but before long he noticed the smell of perfume. A very distinctive Auradon perfume that only one girl in the whole school wore.

"NURSE!" He heard Jane cry as she looked into his eyes and smiled. "NURSE! HE'S AWAKE! C-Carlos are you okay?" She cried into his face. He was still trying to regain control of his muscles and he felt a tube in his throat so he couldn't speak. Instead he blinked repeatedly at her hoping it would reassure her. "Oh thank god Carlos! We were all so worried!" Carlos saw Jane move away as the Nurse leaned over and shone a torch into his eyes. A smile spread across her face as well as Carlos could hear Jane get out her phone and dial someone's number.

"J-j-jay?" Yes, she had called the one person he really needed right now. Carlos was happy knowing that he would soon be reunited with his savior. "It's Carlos, he's…. awake!" Carlos could hear screaming coming through on the other side, even from where he was laying in bed. "He doesn't seem to be able to move very much yet but the nurse said not to worry and that it's perfectly normal. I know! You need to get here right now! Hurry up!"

Carlos closed his eyes again but this time he did so with happiness. Soon Jay would be holding his hand again and things would be alright. He was still not sure why, but something about Jay's presence made Carlos feel safe and wanted. When he next opened his eyes he could tell there were a lot of people crowded around him.

"Carlos!" He heard Jay cry before his face filled Carlos' field of vision. "It's okay, you don't need to talk. It's so good to have you back!" Carlos felt a tear roll down his cheek as he felt Jay kiss his forehead. Before long he could hear and see the others hovering over him as well. He saw Mal and Evie with tears of happiness rolling down their cheeks followed by Dizzy who gave him a big hug. Then he heard Ben and Lonnie run into the hall and they too joined the crowd around his bed. A few moments of happy crying and screaming passed before the Nurse came back over to them and gave them an update on his situation.

"I've sent Carlos' readings over to the Doctor and he is very pleased with Carlos' results, he is well and truly in the clear. He should be able to speak as soon as I take the tube out of his mouth but it will be very croaky for a little while so I would urge you not to encourage him to talk. His voice needs time to recover and get used to being used again. He should also regain full control of his body soon as well though he will require help moving around at first as his muscles have most likely atrophied due to lack of use for the past few weeks. I'm just going to sedate him now for a little while so I can take out the tube. I'm going to need space for this and when he regains consciousness only three visitors at a time please. Over-excitement could still be harmful to Carlos in his current condition."

Everyone around him said goodbye and Jay gave him another few kisses before reluctantly being dragged away by Evie. Carlos' last thought before losing consciousness was how happy he was to be alive and how lucky he was to have all these wonderful friends he did not deserve. Carlos knew he should have died but he was happy he didn't. He couldn't bear to cause his friends any more pain, especially not now that Jay had revealed his true feelings.

Carlos was relieved to awake to Carlos holding his hand.

"J-Jay?" Carlos croaked, trying to move his head.

"Woah, no Carlos. Stay still. The Nurse doesn't want you to over-exert yourself when you first awake." Jay stood up over Carlos again and gave him another kiss on the lips. "Carlos… I'm so sorry. I love you so much and if only I hadn't been a coward…"

"N-not y-your f-f-fault." Carlos croaked again. This voice was definitely not his own and he suddenly felt really parched. "W-water?" Carlos begged. The last time he had drunk anything was before Harry had taken him away and that must have been over a month ago.

"Of course C." Jay poured him a glass and helped Carlos swallow it. "I'll go tell the others that you're awake."

"N-no. Just us. Please." Carlos could still not say very much without it hurting him so he tried to keep his sentences as short as possible. "Y-you. Love. Me?" Carlos eventually croaked out, his eyes pleading up at the bigger boy over his head.

"Of course I do C! I love you more than a Goblin loves cheese puffs or Evie loves her dresses or Dude loves you scratching his butt. You are the light of my life and it hurts me so much that I could have ever made you feel sad by lying to you. I need you to know that you are loved so much by so many. I will always be here for you Carlos. That is, if you'll have me?"

Carlos couldn't speak. Not because it hurt, though that was a contributing factor, but more so because there were no words that could accurately describe how he felt. So instead Carlos just nodded and let his eyes fill with tears. "Love."

The two then spent the next few minutes in a warm embrace. It was slightly awkward for Jay as Carlos still had some drips going into his veins for the pain but it was still just as sweet. It was only broken when Jay got up to give Carlos the biggest kiss of his life. That kiss gave Carlos the strength he needed to put his arms around Jay. Carlos recognised this as the same strength that had allowed him to grasp Jay's hand all those weeks ago.

Jay got up to tell the others but Carlos didn't want him to leave. "Stay. Please." Jay didn't need to be asked twice, it was all he had ever wanted. At first he sat down in the seat again but Carlos made it clear that he needed to be closer. Jay scooped up the younger boy in his arms and lay down in the bed with him making sure Carlos' head was comfortable on his chest.

"I will always protect you. You are safe now. I love you." With that the two boys fell asleep, both extremely exhausted. Carlos snored away, snuggling into Jay's perfect chest while Jay made sure to keep a tight grip around the younger boy so he couldn't be taken from him during the night. Finally they were both happy and looking forward to their future together. They couldn't wait to find out what their happily ever after could possibly involve.


	13. Chapter 13

When Jay awoke he looked down and breathed a sigh of relief. The white-haired boy was still clutching tightly to his chest as he quietly snored away. Jay realised that for possibly the first time in his entire life, he was happy. He could feel the beating in his chest quicken and he was worried that it might wake Carlos. Luckily it didn't so Jay was able to spend a little while longer studying the features of the face he had grown to care so much for. Every freckle on Carlos' face seemed to tell a story and Jay was intent on hearing every single one.

Sadly, many of these freckles were currently covered by the acts of cruelty that one Harry Hook had subjected the young boy to. It broke Jay's heart to see these and know that he had been too late. He knew he shouldn't have blamed himself but the irrational side of his brain continued to ask the numerous 'What If?' questions that had built up an insurmountable wall in Jay's head. Speaking with Fairy Godmother the other day had helped Jay greatly and he had begun to tear down this wall but it was many layers thick. Jay knew the only way that wall would ever come down would be to stick by Carlos and to treat him with the love and respect he deserved.

Some of the scars Jay could see on Carlos' pale body looked much older than the ones Harry had left him with. Jay knew the root of them all was Cruella and it made his blood boil. He had cared for Carlos, even on the Isle, and yet had failed him yet again. He knew he couldn't have possibly taken Carlos away from his mother or the punishments would only have gotten much worse. Still, he should have done something and that guilt gnawed at him.

He felt something begin to moisten his shirt and when he looked down he saw that Carlos was crying in his sleep. He wasn't making any noise but still there was a steady flow of tears streaming down the boy's face. It broke Jay's heart. He knew Carlos so well and could not remember seeing him cry like this. Carlos had been so strong on the Isle and even when they had first arrived at Auradon. Lately though he had been different. Jay could sense it. A hush had come over the usually talkative boy and the smiles were becoming more forced and much fewer.

Jay suspected that Carlos had begun to believe the lies he had been fed growing up. Perhaps it was his failed relationship with Jane that had pushed him over the edge. Or worse. Maybe it had been Jay's inability to confront his own feelings for the boy. He had seen the glint of hope in Carlos' eyes when he had asked whether Jay loved him. He had seen it and yet he had also extinguished it a moment later. Still, Jay knew there was no point wallowing in the past. As Fairy Godmother always said, 'You shouldn't focus on the past or you'll miss the future', or something like that. Jay didn't exactly always pay attention to what the fairy had to say.

Eventually Jay had to let the younger boy go so the Doctors could examine him. When he left the infirmary to tell the others of Carlos' recovery he found the words stuck in his throat. They all stood there; Mal, Evie, Doug, Lonnie, Ben, and Jane and all he could do was cry. Eventually he spluttered out that Carlos was going to be alright but still he cried. He cried for all the times no one had been there to stop Cruella. He cried for all the times Harry had left Carlos alone in the dark. He cried for all the times he had failed to tell the boy how he felt. He cried for every time someone had disappointed him. Most of all he mourned the loss of Carlos' innocence. Innocence never seemed to last long on the isle but Carlos had somehow managed to keep hold of his for so long until Harry and Cruella had finally been able to beat it out of him.

Mal and Evie understood why Jay was crying. They had grown up on the isle too and they had known how Carlos' light had seemed to shine through even the darkest of fogs. They too had also seen this light dim over the past few weeks before it seemed to go out forever. It broke their hearts to see Carlos like this but they knew that there was nothing they could do about it. Carlos had to bring back the light in himself. He needed to believe in himself and the only person capable of bringing out that side of Carlos would be Jay. Evie had known from the moment Jay had shown up at her castle with the broken boy in his arms that the two would never be far apart. She hadn't known love back on the isle but if she had she would have recognised it as the look in Jay's eyes as he begged her to fix him. Begged her to fix Carlos like a child begs their parents to fix their favourite stuffed animal that had fallen apart.

Eventually they all got to give Carlos their well-wishes but they made sure to stagger themselves out. He was still weak and couldn't handle a crowd of people one after the other. Jay stayed at Carlos' side the whole time to make sure he wasn't taking more than he could handle. Everyone who saw the two together could see that what they had was pure. It was too pure for the Isle and too strong to be torn apart by anyone stupid enough to try.

Jay spent every free moment between classes, in free periods and before and after school with Carlos. He had even slept more in that infirmary beside Carlos than he was back in their dorms. Dude had eventually been able to visit Carlos and it had hurt the dog to see the person he looked up to so much like that. It wasn't hard to tell actually as Dude was telling everyone he met about it. That dog had still not learned when to shut up and while Jay had moved on from wanting to kill him, he was slowly returning to that thought.

The day Carlos was released was a happy one for Jay who quickly scooped the boy up in his arms and carried him proudly back to their dorms.

"Hey! I can walk you know!"

"I know. But this is so much more fun." Jay joked as he kissed Carlos' forehead.

"Everyone's staring."

"Let them." Jay countered, the pride clear in his voice. Carlos was his now and he wanted the world to know. He felt like he had been put under the same love spell that Ben had been under with Mal. Jay felt like singing out the boy's name but didn't as he knew that would embarrass Carlos to no end. Although, the thought of a blushing Carlos was an appealing one to Jay…

Eventually they made it back to their dorm and opened the door to a room full of their closest friends and a banner proudly declaring 'Welcome Home C!' in bright red, black and white.

"Surprise!" They all called out as they slowly made their way over to him.

"What's this for?" Carlos gawked, blushing again and making Jay go crazy as he put the boy down.

"For you, C. You deserve it." Jay replied, punctuating the remark with a kiss on the cheek.

The party was surprisingly fun and even though Carlos had felt tired before he found a renewed energy in the festivities. Lonnie had baked some chocolate chip cookies, Doug had decorated the room with some gems from his family's mine, Ben had brought the rest of the food from the palace kitchen (which annoyed Lonnie who had actually put in effort for Carlos), while Mal and Evie had decorated the room. Jay had been the decoy while Audrey and Dizzy had waited outside as look-outs. There was music and laughter as they played board games and video games together. Jay was happy whenever he looked over at Carlos and saw another smile spread across his face. It pleased Jay to no end to see the old Carlos back.

"So, Carlos, what are you most looking forward to now that you're back on your feet?" Evie asked before Mal and Jay kicked her under the table. Like Carlos needed reminding of what had happened to him.

Carlos didn't seem to notice though, or at least pretended he didn't, as he replied. "Probably getting back to school. I've been really missing my science classes." A collective groan spread across the room at this from everyone except for Jane who seemed to perk up.

"Don't worry Carlos, I've been keeping notes for you to catch up on and I saved your seat. It'll be great to have you back, experiments just haven't been the same without you." Jane said encouragingly, giving all the groaners death glares. Jane may not have exhibited much of Fairy Godmother's magic but if looks could kill… Well, let's just say Jane would be looking at a mass-homicide.

"What about something fun?" Jay groaned, a wicked glint in his eyes as he thought of the possibilities now open to him and Carlos.

"Honestly, I just want to get back to normal." He gave a quick sideways glance at Jay before an equally wicked smile creeped across his face. "Well, almost back to normal."

The room erupted into "oooh"s and "aahh"s before the girls began to giggle. Mal had never been like this back on the isle and for a moment she felt disgusted at herself. She was becoming way too princessy. The thought quickly left her mind though as she found herself lost in another fit of giggles.

It was getting close to curfew but the party was still going strong. Eventually Jay had to kick everyone out when he could see how tired Carlos was becoming. "Alright guys, you'd better go before Fairy Godmother comes and finds you all breaking curfew. You may be King Ben, but that little Fairy could still kick your ass any day of the week." He laughed with the others as they all made their way out. Mal and Evie offered to stay behind to clean up but Jay told them to go. They both shared a knowing glance before walking away towards their dorms.

Jay didn't care what they thought though, he just finally needed some alone time with his prince.

"So…" Carlos began awkwardly as they began cleaning up their mess.

"This is gonna be a bitch to clean. I wish we had let Mal stay behind, she may not have her spell book anymore but she'd probably remember one or two spells that could have this place cleaned up in a heartbeat."

"You're probably right." Carlos began to laugh before it quickly turned into a yawn.

"Hey, C, bed. Now." Jay demanded. Carlos may have been released from the infirmary but he still needed his rest if he was to fully recover.

"Fine, fine." Carlos gave in after minimal protests, he clearly was very tired. "Hey, Jay?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Jay knew Carlos was thinking of more than just the party but he couldn't think of anything smart to say in reply before he heard Carlos' soft snoring coming from his bed.

Jay laughed at himself as he continued to clean up around the room. How had the thief become the cleaner? He didn't mind though, he knew Carlos needed his rest and he needed something to distract himself that was quiet. Jay was still too awake to manage any kind of sleep.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Jay, the place was bag to its usual cleanliness. Despite being the home of two boys, Carlos liked to keep the room neat and tidy. Jay knew this as a habit Cruella must have beaten into him but neither of them minded having a clean room. Sometimes he'd walk into Mal and Evie's room and there would be mess everywhere. Evie's fabrics would be all over the place and Mal would have a mess of art supplies and clothes strewn all over her bed and the surrounding floor. Jay suddenly felt relieved he hadn't taken the girls up on their offer to clean.

Before he knew it he found himself yawning and realised how tired he was. At first he moved towards his bed but then he changed directions and headed for Carlos'. He wasn't sure how he knew but something inside him felt that this was right. He climbed in behind Carlos and began spooning him from behind.

"H-HARRY!" Carlos woke screaming, clearly something Jay had done had freaked out the poor boy.

"N-no. Carlos. It's me." Jay reassured him, trying to keep the shock from his voice.

"S-sorry. Just please don't… hold me like that." Carlos looked embarrassed as he spun around to stare into the older boy's face. It hurt Jay that he couldn't spoon Carlos but he understood that Carlos probably had his reasons. "That's how… he used to…." Carlos trailed off, unable to speak the name of his attacker.

"That's okay… You can sleep however you want. I can go back to my –"

"No!" Carlos quickly interrupted. "Please… don't leave me." Before Jay had time to process this Carlos had already nestled himself into Jay's chest so that the two were facing each other. Jay tried to hold back the shaking that was threatening to overtake him. Harry may have left Carlos behind but he was still torturing the poor boy.

"I will never leave you." Jay replied as he felt Carlos snuggle in tighter and saw him scrunch his eyes as if trying to block something out. Jay remained awake just long enough to ensure Carlos went off to sleep before he too fell into a heavy doze. It was as if Maleficent had placed a sleeping curse on the pair but such a curse would never have stood a chance anyway. True Love always wins.

"I have a surprise for you." Jay sang to Carlos as soon as he awoke.

"Who are you and what have you done with Jay?" Carlos asked wearily as he rubbed his eyes. If the singing hadn't been out of character enough, Jay was also already fully dressed and wide awake. Usually Carlos was awake well before Jay on weekends.

"Just hurry up and let's go. It's an amazing day. Put some clothes on if you really must." Jay smiled mischievously at that last part.

Before long Carlos was hugging tight to Jay as the pair rode on Mal's purple Vespa (Ben had bought her a new one after losing the first one on the isle) through the enchanted forest.

"Where are we going?" Carlos asked, surprised that Jay had managed to keep it a secret for so long. Jay was a good thief but Carlos usually managed to make him spill eventually.

"Just wait." Jay laughed. It wasn't long before Carlos finally realised where they were headed. They had stopped at one end of a long wooden bridge that Mal had told them all so much about. He knew exactly where they were going now and he looked over at Jay with genuine tears in his eyes. For the first time in what felt like forever, Carlos was crying tears of happiness rather than of sorrow.

The happiness only grew when they made their way through the last of the trees and came across the ancient ruins surrounded by the enchanted lake. In the middle of it was a picnic full of strawberries, chocolates and all of Carlos' favourite treats.

"You did this for me?" Carlos asked in disbelief. No one had ever done anything so nice and thoughtful for him. Come to think of it, no one had ever done anything thoughtful for him at all. Jay only nodded as he admired the look he had managed to procure out of his lover.

"Carlos De Vil, will you go on a date with me?" Jay formally asked as he watched the smile spread across Carlos' face.

"Mmm, let me think…" Carlos teased him, they both knew what the answer would be but Carlos liked teasing the older boy. He never really got a chance otherwise. "Of course I will!" Carlos screamed jumping into Jay's arms and catching him off guard.

Jay didn't protest as the boy bundled into him and instead carried him all the way to the picnic blanket and laid him down on a cushion he had prepared earlier. Jay had had to wake up well before the sun rose to pull this off but it had been worth it to see the look on Carlos' face. After what had happened in bed the night before Jay knew he needed something to show Carlos that he was anything but worthless.

"Jay… You really shouldn't have…" Carlos began but Jay managed to cut him off before he could continue any further.

"Yes, I should have. You deserve this and so much more Mr. De Vil. You are the most amazing person I have ever met. You show so much kindness despite the lack of it that was shown to you. You are everything your mother didn't raise you to be. You are worth so much Carlos, never forget that."

Jay could see that Carlos was lost for words, which was unusual for the boy who could rival Dude when it came to talking. Instead, Carlos just lunged across at the older boy and wrapped him in a massive hug. When he pulled away Jay could feel a wet patch on his shoulder and saw tears in the boy's eyes. Jay recognised these as happy tears and it even made him begin to tear up.

They spent the rest of the day enjoying each other's company. At one point Jay went for a swim, he tried to convince Carlos to join in but the younger boy was still too nervous. Jay had forgotten that Carlos had never learned to swim. Most kids on the isle never did because of the barrier but Jay had learned when he used to fight with Harry.

Even though Carlos was left on the shore Jay still thought he was enjoying himself, he seemed to be watching Jay intently. Carlos had always had the sideways glance at him while he was changing but now that they were officially together Carlos could stare all he wanted. Jay told him as much as soon as he got out. This lead to some rather risqué discussions about touching as well but Carlos' head turned as red as a tomato before it got any further.

The sun had set long before the boys ever made it back to their dorms. They were having too good a time to even notice that it was almost curfew. They fell into their dorm room laughing and joking with each other and they both collapsed on Jay's bed. Well, to be exact, Jay collapsed first and then Carlos jumped on top of him. At first they made out but before long they gave in to their exhaustion and fell asleep. Jay made sure to hold Carlos extra tight so the boy knew, even in his sleep, that he was safe and cared for.

"I love you C and I'll never leave you."


	14. Chapter 14

Carlos had enjoyed his date with Jay. He had never expected anything so sweet from him. At first he had not felt he deserved it but then Jay had said something that really got through to him. Of course, he wasn't immediately believing in everything Jay had to say, he was a thief after all who lied to get what he wanted, but it opened Carlos' mind to questions and he slowly began thinking the way he had before. Perhaps he did have some worth. At any rate, he would enjoy the attention from Jay while he could still get it. Carlos might not be worthless but he still felt like damaged goods and he knew that sooner or later Jay would realise that and move on to something better.

For now though he felt safe as he snuggled into the boy's chest. Jay had promised him many times that he would never leave him but times change and people change too. Hadn't they all changed from the people they were when they first arrived in Auradon? Back then they were intent (well, their parents were at least which meant they had no choice) on taking over Auradon and freeing the Isle. Now they were 'good', or at least they tried to be. Some people still saw them as villains and on more than one occasion Carlos had caught people staring or changing directions to avoid him.

The next morning however, people were staring at Carlos for a whole different reason. He was walking to breakfast holding the hand of the hottest guy in school (sorry Chad).

"They keep staring at us." Carlos whispered to Jay as they walked the halls.

"Let them. I don't care."

"Well, maybe we can't all be as confident as you." Carlos muttered under his breath causing Jay to stop suddenly and hold him close. Before he knew what was happening Jay gave him the most amazing kiss that left Carlos flustered and dazed when he finally pulled away. "W-woah. What was that for?"

"If they're gonna stare, may as well give them a show." Jay laughed as he watched Carlos' face turn red.

"Hey guys!" Evie called out to them as they took their seats with their tray of food. "I heard you gave a real show out in the hall earlier."

"Really?! You heard that?" Carlos suddenly looked around him, convinced that everyone was staring at him. He wasn't used to being the centre of attention, even if Jay was.

"Glad they're still talking about us." Jay smirked as he sat down next to Carlos who immediately punched his shoulder. "Hey! What's that for?"

"Some of us don't like being talked about, Jay." Carlos said through gritted teeth making Jay immediately look guilty.

"You're right, sorry, I didn't think."

"When do you ever?" Mal teased causing Jay to throw his croissant at her.

"Sorry for bringing it up guys, I wouldn't have said enough if I knew it was going to be an issue." Carlos knew Evie was lying, she had said it exactly for that reason.

"Yeah, right E. Next you'll tell me that Dude has taken up flying lessons."

"Oh, didn't you hear? While you and Jay were away yesterday on your little date Dude and I were researching some flying schools in the area."

"What's this about flying?" Ben asked when he sat down next to Mal. He sent an awkward glance in Jay's direction and Carlos immediately knew something was up between them.

"Spill." He said immediately, looking between the two. "What did Jay do this time?"

"Hey! Why do you immediately think it was my fault?"

"Because I know you Jay."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ben piped in, sending another awkward glance at Jay who only glared back at him. Ben was too Auradonian to ever be able to successfully pull off a good lie.

"Grow some dragon balls you too." Mal sneered before giving Carlos a run-down of what had happened at their dinner with Belle and Beast.

"Wow… Jay…" Carlos had no idea that Jay had felt so strongly about how they were treated on the Isle. "How stupid could you be?" Carlos suddenly realised.

"What? I was defending you and everyone else on the Isle!"

"You could have got us all sent back!" Carlos became a little dazed for a moment at the thought of ever returning to that place. Jay caught him before he fell over and another look of guilt washed over his face.

"I'm sorry C, I just didn't think. I don't know what came over me but I just lost it. He kept going on about the Isle and the people on there even though he's never set foot in the place. I just… had to make him see." Jay muttered the last part. He knew he had gone too far that night but here they were, weeks later, and nothing had happened.

"Jay, you really shouldn't worry. Mum was actually quite proud of you." Ben reassured him, finally feeling confident enough to talk to him again. "Dad was a little annoyed of course, he never gets told off. It was actually really awesome. No one ever stands up to him and everything you said was true. Not even he could defend himself. You opened my eyes Jay and so I've been reassessing the Isle situation. Obviously, we won't be letting the Villains go." Ben quickly added seeing the worry in the faces around him. "But we're not going to ignore them either. We've been looking at ways of trying to get better produce and items over to the Isle rather than our garbage. Even Mum wasn't aware of that last part. As King, I should have known but…" Ben trailed off. There was no excuse. He was King and he should have known what was been sent to the Isle.

"It's okay." Carlos reassured him, suddenly proud of Jay. "That's really great that you're changing it, I could give you some other tips to help you out if you like?"

"That would be great!" Ben was relieved that Carlos was on his side, he knew that together they could fix many of the Isle's problems. "Back to normal?" He asked Jay.

"Yeah man, of course." Jay reassured him, giving him a smile.

"Ugh, finally!" Evie nearly screamed. "Those two have been so awkward around each other for sooo long, it was seriously getting very tiring."

Before anyone could continue with the conversation, Carlos had looked at his watch and realised that it was almost time for first period which was science for him so he was definitely not missing that.

Jay walked him to his room, apparently he couldn't be trusted to walk down the hall on his own anymore.

"Jay, seriously. I'm not made of porcelain. I'm going to be fine." Carlos reassured him for the hundredth time. "Now, can I please go into class or are you going to make me late?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"How long it takes me to summon the strength to take my lips away from yours."

"Wha-" Carlos did not have time to finish before Jay had leaned in and given him another of his signature kisses. "Woah…" Carlos muttered as Jay finally pulled away. He was really very good at kissing, Carlos preferred not to think of all the practice he must have had.

"Go, or you'll be late." Carlos hurried into the room and took a seat next to Jane who gave him a wide-eyed look. Clearly everyone had seen and it made Carlos turn red. He would really have to speak to Jay about his aggressive PDA.

The rest of the day passed really quickly for Carlos who was excited to get back into learning. He clearly had a lot to catch up on but Jane had taken notes for all the subjects they shared so he knew he was going to be fine. Every time he had a free moment or as he walked between classes Jay seemed to always be there.

"Seriously Jay… people keep staring at us and you keep giving them reasons to!"

"Sorry beautiful, it's just so very hard to keep my body off yours." Jay's flirting may have worked on every girl in Auradon (and even a few on the Isle) but they were not going to work on Carlos.

Over the next few weeks Carlos had finally managed to get Jay to tone it down a bit, though there was still a long way to go. Still, Carlos was becoming use to it, Jay had become his guardian angel of sorts and he wasn't entirely shocked to discover that he enjoyed it.

The only thing Carlos didn't enjoy were the stares he got from those around him. Even when he wasn't with Jay he continued to catch people staring. He could hear their whispers and while it had bothered him at first, he just learned to get over it. After all, he had Jay. What else could he possibly need? They were all just jealous.

Carlos hadn't realised that Jay had had this softer side to him before, and Carlos liked it. He liked waking up in his arms. Carlos loved the feeling of Jay's tight arms around him as he slept. He loved the boy's breath warm against his face while he slept. He loved Jay picking him up all the time even though he could walk. He would never admit that last part though, Jay would be insufferable if he did.

"I love you." Carlos whispered to him one night as they just lay in bed together talking. Carlos had never said that to anybody before so he hoped that Jay realised the weight of it. While Jay used the 'L' word almost as much as he flirted, some people (like Carlos) still treated the word with a lot of respect. Love wasn't a word you'd throw around on the isle unless you were looking to be beaten up.

"C, I love you too." Jay smiled down at him and gave him a massive kiss before trailing his kisses all over Carlos' body. It drove Carlos wild every time Jay did this. However, for some reason, this time was different. Jay was more passionate than he normally was so clearly he had understood the weight of Carlos' words.

Jay held the younger boy close to his bare chest as he let him feel his perfect body against his own. Jay was really getting into it now and it had begun to worry Carlos. So far, they hadn't gotten anywhere sexual which was good because Carlos wasn't sure how he would react to it. The only person he had ever had sex with, if you could call rape that, was Harry and so he didn't have a very good history with it.

"J-Jay?" Carlos interrupted him.

"Yes baby?" It was the word he only used in private with Carlos and it drove the younger boy wild.

"I'm not really sure about having…"

"Sex? Why?" Jay asked carefully, he had been careful before not to broach the subject in case it scared Carlos away.

"It's just… the only person I've ever… you know… was him. I'm just not sure how I'll… react." Even now, months on, Carlos could not bring himself to mention the name of the boy who had terrorized his youth and stolen his innocence. Carlos could feel Jay freeze beneath him and he became afraid of what he might say.

"Baby… I know… Don't worry about it, we can go at your pace and only do the things you're comfortable with. You can take charge and go as far as you want. There's no pressure here C, I mean it. I prefer snuggling to sex anyway so I don't mind what you choose." God, it made Carlos so hot when Jay was like this; understanding and perfect. It's one of the reasons he loved him.

In that moment Carlos knew that he at least wanted to try with the older boy. He reached down to Jay's boxers and pulled them down to reveal an already erect monster of a penis. It was dark with a light head and Carlos slowly tugged on it to test out how he felt. When he looked up at Jay he saw only ecstasy in his eyes. Jay was happy and Carlos knew that he was about to make him feel a whole lot more.

Before Jay could even bring himself to moan Carlos had slid down the bed and had put Jay's thick beast in his mouth. After sucking on it for a little while Carlos realised that it wasn't so bad after all. Sex clearly didn't have to be as rough and animalistic as Harry had always made it. Between him and Jay there was actual chemistry and Carlos could almost feel the sparks in his mouth as he went to town on Jay's dick.

Every now and then Carlos would look up and stare into Jay's eyes, knowing that it drove him wild. Eventually he pulled up and went to give Jay a kiss before straddling his legs.

"Woah- C, are you sure you're ready?" Carlos didn't even need to reply. Instead he just leaned down and let Jay rub against his hole. Carlos had known from the moment he had touched Jay's dick that it was going to go inside him. He had realised that not everyone was as cruel as Harry. He started out with rubbing against his hole just to make sure that he was ready before he finally let Jay enter him.

It hurt Carlos at first, a lot. Jay was a lot thicker than Harry and so his hole had to widen a lot more than it was used to. After a while though he got used to the pain and it began to turn into lust as he kissed Jay ferociously and moaned his name into Jay's neck. The two lay in bed just rocking back in forth for a while as Jay fucked Carlos. Before long though he heard Jay's breathing sharpen and he knew what was about to happen. He was ready for it and he heard Jay nearly scream out his name as he felt his hole fill with his seed. This felt right, Carlos thought to himself as he slowly pulled himself off and lay next to Jay. Carlos was still not ready to use his own dick yet but he knew that if things continued as they had tonight that in time he would be fine. Perhaps then he could repay the favour.

"That was really hot!" Jay panted as the two finally got up and made their way to the shower to clean off.

"Did you like it?" Carlos asked, his eyes wide. He hoped that after all the pain he hadn't disappointed Jay.

In response Jay just picked him up in his arms (as he had come to love doing) and gave him another of his amazing kisses. "Babe, it was amazing. You are… amazing." He laughed, his mind was still foggy and so he couldn't come up with a better word. Still, it was accurate. Carlos was amazing and he was going to spend the rest of his life telling him and everyone he met that very same thing.

After a long warm shower filled with a lot of touching and kissing the pair finally made their way back into bed (technically, Jay had carried Carlos but details details) and were falling asleep in each other's arms. They both felt like their lives couldn't get any better. They knew that as long as they stuck together then everything would be alright.

"Hey sleepyhead." Jay said as Carlos finally stirred in his arms. They still had plenty of time before school but Jay enjoyed watching the younger boy clutch to his chest while he slept.

"Hey creepo." Carlos teased, at first watching him while he was sleeping had seemed really creepy but he had come to love it. It was just another part of Jay that many people didn't get to see because of the bravado he would always display like armor.

The pair laughed as their legs intertwined and their lips met. Jay's long hair brushed Carlos' face and it drove him wild. It hurt to tear themselves apart but they had to or else there wouldn't be any time for a shower and breakfast.

They managed to save some time on the former by showering together but they still had the latter to complete before first period. Carlos had science again and he always wanted the best seats so he wouldn't get stuck with the old Bunsen burner or burnt beakers.

The pair had barely made it out of their dorm before Evie and Mal came up to them.

"You guys really don't want to go down that way." Mal said, trying to push them in the other direction.

"But we have to eat!" Carlos cried. "I'm starving!"

"Mal's right, you really don't want to go down there, it's… a real mess." Evie clearly looked like she had made that up on the spot but they were (usually) all great liars so it was hard to tell.

"Why?" Carlos asked suspiciously.

"Someone accidentally bumped into Jordan and rubbed her lamp. They then must have made some silly remark about wishing they were at the beach or something because now the main hall is just full of sand and water." Mal quickly replied, a little too quickly for Carlos' liking.

"Y-yeah, it's a real mess down there. Best to avoid it." Carlos caught Mal giving Evie a death glare and he knew they were lying.

Carlos pushed past them with Jay who looked just as confused as he felt. He was starving and nothing was going to stand in the way of him and his breakfast.

"Carlos! Jay!" Evie and Mal called after them as they headed down. As Carlos got closer he noticed a lot of people were giving him an almost pitying expression and it began to worry him. Just as he was about to turn the corner he could hear Fairy Godmother frantically calling out to the others in the room.

"PICK THEM UP! QUICKLY!" She screamed. Whatever was going on it definitely had nothing to do with a beach in the main hall. When Carlos turned the corner everything seemed to move in slow motion. At first he saw everyone turn to him in shock, the same pitying expression on all their faces. Then Carlos looked down at a piece of paper that had landed at his feet.

At first his mind couldn't comprehend what he was seeing and his other senses had appeared to stop working. He saw everyone around him calling out but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He didn't have to wait long to find out however as he picked up the flyer and studied it closer.

The flyer had two pictures on it, side by side and blown up to a massive size. To the left was a picture of Carlos lying naked on the ground while Harry raped him and to the left was a picture of him and Jay from the night before. Jay's cock clearly inside Carlos' naked bottom. Emblazoned across the top were the words "THERE'LL ALWAYS BE A VILLAIN INSIDE HIM" which made Carlos stop dead in his tracks.

The photo of Harry had caused Carlos to have a flash back of the brutal scene that had taken place. Harry was fucking him rough and hard for about the sixth time that day and Carlos was feeling sore. He almost passed out from the pain except Harry punched him with his hook every time he did.

He finally came back into himself and felt as though the world was closing in around him. He struggled to breathe in air and couldn't even make a sound. He saw Fairy Godmother rush towards them but he couldn't see Jay who was standing behind him.

He put his hand back hoping to find Jay's but before he could everything faded to black as Carlos' unconscious body collapsed onto the floor.


	15. Chapter 15

( _A/N: Sorry for the way I ended the last chapter, I just couldn't resist. There's still plenty more to come though so don't worry_ )

Jay had eyed the two girls suspiciously while they clearly lied about whatever was going on in the main hall. However, his grumbling stomach soon made his mind up for him and so he and Carlos pushed past them while Evie was still trying, unconvincingly, to lie. It confused Jay to no end as he had no idea what could have made Evie so bad at lying. Back on the Isle she had lied as much as Mother Gothel took selfies. Auradon was clearly getting to the blue-haired wonder.

As the pair neared the main hall, Jay began to notice a lot of people staring at them with, if he was not mistaken, pity. Jay felt a sinking feeling in his chest as the looks became more frequent, Carlos was clearly getting worried as he gripped Jay's hands tighter with each stare. Normally, Mal and Evie would have long given up on whatever prank they were trying to play by keeping them away from their destination, but for some reason they continued yelling after them as they chased them to breakfast.

Jay had been too focused on the pair behind them to hear Fairy Godmother's panicked cries from up ahead. Looking back afterwards Jay had wished that he had grabbed Carlos and pulled him in the opposite direction. He wished that he had picked up on the urgency in Mal and Evie's voices. Above all else he wished he could take back every bad thing that had ever happened to Carlos because turning around that dreadful corner he was confronted by it all.

Auradon may be full of princes and princesses but they could clearly be just as wicked as anyone from the Isle. It was Carlos' face that Jay noticed. At first, he had looked confused but then it had sunk in once he had picked up one of the hundreds of flyers strewn across the massive room. Jay saw the look of horror and sadness on his face and it had broken his heart. He hadn't even seen what was on the flyer yet but clearly it had to be massive to have effected Carlos so much. Before Jay could, he saw Carlos' face go white and he knew the younger boy was about to faint. He saw his hand desperately reach back for Jay but before he had a chance to catch it, the younger boy was already on the ground.

"CARLOS!" Jay cried as he went to pick the boy up. He was distracted, however, by the flyer that had fallen out of his hand. He picked it up and It took him a few moments to process what he was seeing. Not long after, Jay could see nothing but the rage that was bubbling inside him, finally about to overflow. "WHO DID THIS?!" Jay roared, rivalling even King Beast's legendary outbursts. "WHO THE HELL DID THIS?!" No one was brave enough to respond, even Fairy Godmother had taken a step back as shock registered on her face. "'THERE'LL ALWAYS BE A VILLAIN INSIDE HIM'?! WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA WAS THAT?!" No one even dared to look him in the face. They had all seen the flyers, they had all seen what Harry had done to Carlos, they had all seen the effect even the reminder of this had had on him.

"Jay…" Fairy Godmother started, unsure of how exactly to proceed. Auradon had never seen anything like this before, it was even crueler than most of the crimes the inhabitants of the Isle had committed in their time. Fairy Godmother knew that she was way out of her depth and the anger and desperation in the angry boy's eyes were hard to forget.

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? YOU CAN'T JUST 'BIBBIDY BOPPITY BOO' THIS AWAY LIKE CINDERELLA!" Jay cried out at her. He hadn't meant to lash out, but Fairy Godmother had unfortunately been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jay had been caught in worse positions before so his anger was more on behalf of his boyfriend than for himself.

"Jay!" Mal and Evie cried out at him, shocked at how he had spoken to Fairy Godmother.

"I'm sorry." Jay finally managed to mutter once he calmed himself down a bit. "Don't you see now though? No matter how many times we save Auradon and prove to everyone that we can be good, they will never see us as anything but villains." Jay cried out at Fairy Godmother while motioning to the Auradonian kids around him. They all had bowed their heads while they furiously picked up every last flyer they could reach. "We are not our parents, but that's all they'll ever see when they look at us." Jay hated how vulnerable he was. No one had seen this side of him besides Carlos, Mal and Evie.

"Jay…" Fairy Godmother tried again, looking saddened by his remarks.

"I'm taking Carlos back to our dorm where he can recover in peace." Jay interrupted before Fairy Godmother had a chance to finish her remarks. He scooped the younger boy up in his arms and stormed off back to their dorm, everyone in his way quickly pressed themselves against the wall. Afraid to face Jay's wrath for being in his way.

Jay was relieved to find their dorm room empty of any flyers when he placed Carlos carefully down in bed. He looked down at the younger boy and frowned, Carlos had never looked so old before. Generally, he was a sleeping cherub but now his face was full of worry. He did not look like the same person Jay had woken up next to a mere few hours earlier. He smiled at the memory as he wiped Carlos' face with a warm washcloth.

Mal and Evie came rushing in before quickly slamming the door behind them.

"Thanks for the heads up." Jay muttered, not even glancing in their direction.

"Hey! We tried to stop you." Evie defended.

"It's not my fault that Evie's such a terrible liar."

"You should have said something, you shouldn't have taken no for an answer." Jay was determined to blame someone and, until the culprit was uncovered, Mal and Evie were the unlucky ones.

"We know. We just didn't know how to say it." Evie looked down at her shoes.

"Well, I did, but Evie didn't want me to be so blunt." Mal gave Evie the greenest eyes she could muster under the circumstances.

"I'm sorry guys, I know it's not your fault. I just feel so helpless…" Jay couldn't even finish the sentence so he just gestured at the sleeping figure below him.

"Has he woken up yet?" Evie asked, concerned.

"No, I think he's sleeping the shock off."

"Fairy Godmother wants to let you know that no one thinks we're villains and that we can take as much time off school as we need to." Evie tried to reassure Jay.

"Well, at least we don't have to go to school. But seriously though, 'There'll always be a villain inside him'? That's just unnecessarily cruel. Who could be so heartless?"

Mal and Evie both gave a worried glance before simultaneously replying "Harry Hook."

"What?! IS HE IN AURADON!? HOW COULD HE HAVE ESCAPED TWICE?!"

"Hey, Jay!" Mal tried to calm him down. "Harry is still on the island, Ben has been keeping track of him ever since Carlos came back. Apparently he's been a little put-out but he's still stuck in there with his father and sister."

"Well, at least there's that. I just wish I knew who did it so I can punch their face in." This time Mal and Evie actually agreed with Jay and they told him as much.

"Don't worry Jay, I'll be sure to find the perfect apple for whichever Prince or Princess thought they could mess with Carlos and get away with it."

"Why is it always him though?" Jay asked pleadingly. "Who could possibly hate the little guy? Why can't they pick on me instead?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Mal!"

"What is?" Jay wanted to know, even if Evie was determined he not find out.

"Carlos is just an easier target. Everyone knows that if they mess with you then you'll beat them half-to-death but Carlos… Carlos just takes it. He doesn't put up a fight he just takes it and tries to move on with his life."

"How can anyone do that?" Evie asked, a new-found sympathy for the De Vil clear in her voice.

"It's all he's known." Jay simply said as his mind went back to how Cruella raised the boy and how Harry had destroyed him. Looking at the faces of the girls around him, he could see it in their eyes too. They were all thinking of the terrible things they would to Cruella if she ever had the misfortune of crossing their paths again.

"Still though," Evie continued, "this is next-level darkness. Even on the Isle they would have shown at least a little restraint. Fairy Godmother already contacted the police and they'll be conducting their own investigations. There's not much to go on though. Auradon doesn't have a lot of CCTV, especially not in this school. They're too trusting for their own damn good."

Jay didn't have anything to say to this and so they all just sat around in silence for a little while before a knock at the door woke them from their reverie. Mal opened it to find Ben and Lonnie on the other side.

"Guys, I just wanted you to know that we are going to do everything we can to find the person responsible for this." Ben reassured them in his annoyingly Kingly voice.

"Then what?" Mal asked before Jay even had the chance. "What's going to happen to the culprit? Face it Ben, this is Auradon, you're all too trusting for your own damn good."

Ben was at a loss, he had no idea how he could answer Mal's question and reassure them all at the same time. It was true that Auradon had never faced an issue quite like this and so they were all treading in uncharted territory.

"You guys have to know that we're _all_ on your side." Lonnie reassured the trio. "None of us think you're your parents. I mean, Mal you're friends with Audrey for goodness sake! Everyone in school wishes they could put her to sleep sometimes yet you haven't. Evie, you're dating Doug! Who'd have thought that the Evil Queen's daughter would ever end up with the son of a dwarf? Let alone Dopey's! Jay, you're as much a team player as anyone else in Auradon, even more so than a few." The group, now all smiling at Lonnie's kind words, knew exactly who Lonnie was referring to; Mr. Not-So-Charming. "Jafar was as selfish as they come. And just look at Carlos and Dude, the perfect pair. Who'd have ever thought that the son of Cruella De Vil, that mad seamstress, could possibly love a dog as much as that? You may have grown up on the Isle but you are so much more than just Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar and Cruella De Vil. You're Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos. Without you Auradon would not be standing. We all owe you so much and trust me when I say that whoever did this will be caught and brought to justice."

Lonnie's impassioned speech had caught everyone off guard. Ever since finding out about their loveless childhood, Lonnie had always been extra kind to them, but this was taking it to a whole other level. None of them could argue with what she had said though. Lonnie did have a point but it hurt that somewhere in Auradon there were still those intent on running the VKs out of town.

"Thanks Lonnie, we all really needed that." Jay finally said in order to break the awkward silence that had descended upon the group.

"No mum! Please! I promise I'll do better next time! I'll move quicker! Please! Stop! That hurts! I can't see! Ouch!" Carlos' sudden cries distracted them as they looked down on the boy who was slowly coming back to consciousness. "W-where… Sorry." Carlos had suddenly turned a deep shade of red upon realizing where he was and what he had just said.

"Nightmare?" Jay asked quietly as he stroked the boy's face. Upon feeling his warmth beside him Carlos suddenly felt a lot safer and snuggled in to him.

"Not really. Just a bad memory. I hadn't completed her full list of chores in time and so she came home and did what she normally did. Only this time after I was battered and bruised she threw me in her fur closet, well, my bedroom, and …. and the light had broken and all the traps had been moved around… I couldn't see Jay… it hurt so much…" Carlos couldn't continue and so he just collapsed into Jay's arms and cried.

Ben and Lonnie were shocked by Carlos' revelation. They knew that Cruella had been cruel but they had never truly understood the depths of her wickedness.

"Oh… C…" Lonnie began but her eyes filled with tears before she was able to complete whatever she was trying to say. Before meeting the VKs, Lonnie had never even contemplated a life without love, and she had never thought that anyone could be so cruel to someone that they had given birth to. She had grown up surrounded by love and nurturing, she had never thought to consider that those on the island would have grown up differently.

"Oh… Hey there guys." Carlos had suddenly become aware of everyone else who was in the room. He had noticed Mal and Evie but had never thought to see Ben and Lonnie.

"Carlos, I just want to reassure you that we are putting all our resources into finding who could have done this to you. We will put a stop to it and the criminal will be brought to justice."

"Thanks Ben." Carlos replied, clearly not convinced that they would ever find the culprit, or that they would ever be brought to justice.

"I think we should give Carlos some space." Evie suggested as she grabbed Mal and backed out of the room. The others nodded in agreement and before long it was just Jay and Carlos alone.

"I hate this." Carlos spat.

"Yeah, I hate this too. Don't worry C. When we find whoever did it… let's just say they'll finally understand why they put our parents on the island."

"No Jay, not that. I hate how weak they're making me. I used to be as strong as the rest of you but lately it just seems I'm always been saved rather than doing the saving. I hate how everyone treats me like I'm made of glass and that I could break at any moment. I hate it Jay!" Carlos was almost screaming by the end of it and so Jay just let him continue. Carlos rarely had an outburst like this and it felt healthier for Carlos to let it all out rather than hold it in. "I'm so much better than this! Why can't everyone see it? Sure, I had an abusive mother and an unhealthy relationship-"

"That's one way to put it." Jay interrupted, unable to help himself. He was relieved when he saw it bring a smile to Carlos' face and calm him down again.

"I just want them to see that I'm so much more than this. I don't want to hide away in my room and let the bastard who did this think they won. I want to walk out of this dorm room every day with my head held high. They need to know that I can be just as strong as anyone else and that they can't beat me. Especially not now that I have you."

With that, Jay held Carlos in his arms like a mother holds her newborn baby (well, how they hold them on Auradon) and gave him the most passionate kiss they had ever shared. This was the Carlos he loved. The strong Carlos who never took anything lying down. Carlos who would sooner destroy you with one of his inventions than let your words ever get to him. This was the Carlos that Harry and Cruella had stolen from him and he was never going to let them take him away again.

"So, what did you want to do?" Jay asked Carlos after a long while of just snuggling each other in bed.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm still starving. So… lunch?" A cheeky smile spread across Carlos face.

"You read my mind C."

When the pair entered the cafeteria, they were greeted by stares from every direction. They were mostly filled with pity, though a few just looked confused. They hadn't expected to see Carlos around for a few days. Jay filled with pride knowing that Carlos had put the pain in his past behind him and was able to push through so much better than these Auradon princesses. Not even those on the Tourney team could have done it so well. Carlos was worth a million of these pampered teens, and Jay was determined to remind him of that with every chance he could get.

"Hey, C." Evie greeted them as they sat down at the table, their plates overflowing with food. "It's good to see you out and about." Both her and Mal looked slightly confused at the pair, they hadn't expected to see the two emerge from their love-nest for a few days.

"I don't want the goblin-lover who did this to think that they've won. I'm determined to get back to normal as soon as I can." Carlos replied, determination clear in his voice.

"Are you sure we can't take even one day off school? Fairy Godmother said we could take all the time we need." Jay was happy that Carlos was back to his old self, but he had hoped to at least take some time off school if he could. He had had many wicked thoughts about what he and Carlos could get up to in all their spare time.

"Haha, no Jay. Sorry to burst your horny bubble." Carlos, like always, had seen right through him. Jay grabbed him tight and gave him another intense kiss.

"Woah, woah! Get a room you guys!" Mal called out at them, forcing them to break away from each other to laugh. "Even Ben and I don't get that mushy."

"What was that my darling princess?" Jay mimicked Ben's mushiness that he displayed any time the two were together. "Have another purple vespa my green-eyed beauty." Mal's face turned red as she threw her roll at the pair.

The next few days passed by without incident. At first, people were a little wary of Carlos but before long things were slowly getting back to normal. Everyone was on their side and they were just as determined as the police to find the culprits. So far no one had stepped forward and there were no leads at all so all they could do was wait and hope for some new evidence to show up.

"I love you." Jay whispered as he broke away from another intense session with the boy of his dreams.

"I love you too but next time warn me when you're about to finish. I got some in my eye!" Carlos laughed as Jay kissed his face clean. Ever since the stronger Carlos had reemerged the pair had been stronger than ever. Their love had been so much more intense and they were both enjoying their time more with each other.

Carlos went to wash himself in the bathroom when Jay noticed a piece of paper that had been slid under their door. Jay went to pick it up, still naked, and recoiled in shock upon seeing what was on it. He quickly stuck his head out the door and noticed the flyer had been stuck up all over the hallway and he saw a few sticking out from under several doors. Shutting the door behind him, Jay couldn't help himself anymore. "I AM GOING TO KILL WHOEVER DID THIS!"

When he spun around he saw Carlos, trying to hide in a corner. His body shaking as he looked at Jay with the wide eyes of a kicked puppy. "Y-y-you sounded like h-her!" Carlos eventually cried out. Jay immediately rushed to his side and tried to apologise before picking him up and carrying him to his bed. Jay hated how he had reminded Carlos of his mother, she still scared Carlos and so he just held Carlos tight until his breathing had come under control.

For now, the flyer had been forgotten, although it would have to be faced. It stared at them angrily from the floor. The picture of a beaten Carlos, near-death and bleeding out in an alley with the word 'WORTHLESS' emblazoned across the top filled the A4 sheet that was spread across the school.

"We will find out who did this." Jay reassured the younger boy. "And then we'll make them pay."


	16. Chapter 16

"I AM GOING TO KILL WHOEVER DID THIS!"

Carlos had just come out of the bathroom when he had heard these words that had sent him back to his life with Cruella. She had come home from one of her spa trips early, as she was wont to do on occasion, and had found dirty footprints in the entrance of Hell Hall. Carlos had only just got home from school himself, and so had not had time to clean the floors properly. He hadn't worried as Cruella wasn't due back for at least another day.

Carlos knew he had been wrong to be complacent, his mother was right about him, he was an idiot. He knew that he was going to be in big trouble, no matter the fact that all the other chores had been completed. He had left dirt in the entrance hall and soon he would wish that he was that dirt. Cruella made him feel like it anyway. It had been one of the worst beatings he had ever endured and it had ended with Cruella throwing him in her fur closet, narrowly missing a few of the traps.

He finally came back to himself and found that he was shaking in fear in the corner of the room. Looking around he realised that it was Jay, not Cruella, who had spoken. When the older boy's eyes found his own, he saw shock and pity fly across his face. Carlos hated to be pitied but right now he was too focused on the memory of his mother to care. His bruises and scars seemed to pulsate with the memory.

"Y-y-you sounded like h-her!" Carlos finally managed to cry out in an attempt to explain how he felt. The confusion that had crossed Jay's face was immediately replaced with guilt. This hurt Carlos even more than any scar his mother had inflicted on him. He loved Jay and hated that he had made him feel guilty. Before he had time to think about it though he felt Jay's strong arms pick him and before long he found himself lying in bed with the boy's arms wrapped tightly around him, keeping him safe.

It was then that Carlos had noticed the flyer on the ground and instantly recognised what was on it. Some beatings were hard to forget, especially the one Harry had given him for trying to break up with him. Carlos didn't need the word emblazoned across the top to know what it signified. Harry had made sure to remind him of that fact with every kick and punch he inflicted on the younger boy. Carlos had almost controlled himself but this reminder sent him over the edge as he fell into one of his panic attacks which he had had so frequently on the isle.

This only made Jay hold the boy closer and they seemed to lay like that for forever until Carlos finally managed to convince himself that he was safe in Jay's arms. Carlos began to feel drowsy again, clearly one of the few things he was actually good at lately. As he fell asleep he could hear Jay's words ringing in his ears.

"We will find out who did this, and then we'll make them pay."

Carlos liked that Jay had used the word 'we' instead of his usual 'I'. It made Carlos smile as he fell asleep. His dreams were, for once, devoid of Harry and Cruella. He dreamt that he was with Jay and they had grown old together. They were raising Dude's puppies and had children of their own. He dreamt of living in an apartment in the city. Then he felt a chill fall over him as the door slammed open. In it was Cruella and her eyes were glowing green with rage. He saw her scoop up all of the dogs and take them away with her. He tried to call out, but found that he could not make a sound. He needed to tell someone! He needed help! He felt relief wash over him as he heard footsteps rushing towards him. His relief quickly turned into dread however when he found Harry smiling back at him. Suddenly he was unconscious and when he awoke he was in a pitch-black room and found that he could not move. He could hear the scurrying of tiny feet all around him, like he was surrounded by insects, but he could not even turn his head. He lay paralysed as he felt creatures crawling all over him. He was helpless, he tried to scream but suddenly the creatures were crawling into his mouth. He was choking and he was crying, moments from suffocation.

He awoke gasping and found himself alone in his dorm. It was dark and he suddenly felt very afraid. Where was Jay? Normally he was right next to him but now he was nowhere. What happened to him?

"JAY! JAY! JAY!" Carlos cried out, hoping the older boy would hear him and come back to him. Hoping that Cruella hadn't gotten her hands on him. It had been a dream but to Carlos it had felt so very real. He shut his eyes tight, trying to vanquish the feelings inside him.

"Carlos?" Jay called from the bathroom. "Hey, C! Are you alright?" Carlos opened his eyes to see the older buy rushing over to him, his face full of concern. Carlos tried to speak but the words wouldn't come. All he could do was shake as the tears started flowing down his cheeks. All he seemed to do lately was cry, he hated himself for it. He hated the looks of pity that it gave him. He was Carlos De Vil but Jay knew that only his mother could have brought out these emotions in him.

"Hey, hey. Baby, I'm right here. I've got you. Don't worry." Jay cooed to him as he scooped him up in his arms like a baby. Jay shuffled awkwardly into the bed, never letting go of Carlos who sunk his face into Jay's chest.

"P-p-please d-don't leave m-me." Carlos' mumbled between sobs.

"C, I would never, ever leave you. I would sooner die than leave your side."

"P-please don't s-say that!" Carlos cried, he knew he would struggle without Jay and did not ever want to think of his passing.

"Sorry, baby, poor choice of words. Do you want to talk about it?"

"B-b-bad d-d-dream. M-memories I had t-tried to f-f-forget." Carlos stuttered out before trying to gain composure of himself. "I'm a-afraid of the d-dark."

"Really?" Jay was surprised, Carlos had been alone in the dark before and he had seemed fine. "You've never been afraid of the dark before?"

"I-I was…. once. Back on the Isle, when I was younger, I would have nightmares after Cruella threw me in her fur closet. H-harry tortured it out of me. He wanted to find… he wanted to find ways of hurting me… emotionally. I-I didn't want to say… but he made me." Carlos broke down into tears and had to stop talking to compose himself. Jay hadn't said a word but Carlos was too frightened of what he might see in his face if he looked up. "After that he would lock me up in a room without windows. He would tie me down to the ground so I wouldn't be able to move. Then he would turn out the light and listen to my screams. This kept him entertained for a few days but eventually he grew bored of this so he tried… other things. Instead of leaving me alone he would release a barrel of insects, or snakes or dogs into the room. I wouldn't be able to move. I couldn't see anything. I could hear them all around me and it scared me so much Jay. I couldn't scream because if I did they would know where I was and they would get in my mouth." Again, Carlos had to pause for a little while to compose himself. Some memories he had suppressed so much that it hurt to even think about them.

"Harry used to record them on a camera he had set up in the corner of the room. He would then make me watch it back on repeat later. He would laugh at me and make fun of me. It wasn't my fault, I couldn't help it. Ever since then I've been afraid of the dark. When I came to Auradon I was able to suppress it with the help of Fairy Godmother. I never told her why I was afraid of the dark, she just assumed it was because of where I grew up. She helped me out all the same and eventually I felt safer. But… seeing these flyers lately just destroyed me. The last few days have been hell Jay. I can barely sleep because every time I close my eyes… I hear them." Tears creeped back into his eyes and voice. "Usually I can overcome them by focusing on your arms around me but tonight I woke up and… and… and you were gone. I thought they'd taken you away! I was so scared Jay! Please don't leave me alone in the dark. I'm so afraid."

Carlos sat in silence as he clutched at Jay's chest. He could feel the boy's heart-rate quicken and his breathing became more laboured. Eventually, once Carlos had become tired of the silence, he gathered enough courage to look up at the older boy's face. Carlos immediately regretted his decision because all he could see was sadness and anger. Jay looked like he was torn between crying and punching a hole through every wall between him and Harry. Carlos felt like Jay was disappointed in him, for not being brave. "Jay? Please don't ignore me! I'm sorry, okay? I'm so very sorry Jay. I'm sorry I'm such a wimp. I'll talk to Fairy Godmother and I'll fix it. Please don't hurt me."

Jay's anger immediately melted away as he looked down at the white-haired boy. "H-hurt you?" There was shock in his voice, it would be clear to anyone who might have heard it. "Carlos, I would never hurt you. I would sooner cut out my own tongue than ever cause you pain. What would make you think such a thing?"

"I-it's just what happens in my life Jay. People realise I'm damaged goods and so they get mad. They want their own piece and they take it out on me." Carlos could see that this hurt Jay and he immediately regretted it. Of course he knew that Jay would never hurt him, he was being stupid.

"Well it's not going to happen anymore. You are not damaged goods. You are perfect. You are mine. I wouldn't want it any other way. I will never leave you. I will never hurt you. I will always protect you. You are perfect Carlos De Vil. I love you." Jay always seemed to know the right things to say to make Carlos feel better. Suddenly he realised how stupid he was being. It was just a dream. Harry and Cruella were still trapped on the Isle. They couldn't hurt him anymore unless he let them.

"I love you too Jay." Content, Carlos fell asleep in Jay's arms.

He awoke hours later to the sound of smashed glass. He immediately jumped up and ran into the bathroom. There he saw Jay with a bloodied fist and mirror shards filling the sink.

"Jay! What happened?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm better now." Jay brushed him off, Carlos hated when he did this.

"Jay! Tell me!"

"I was just angry C. Angry at Harry and Cruella and everyone else that hurt you. It was either that mirror or the next person who annoyed me. I chose the mirror."

"Oh, Jay." Carlos tried not to sound like he was pitying the older boy but he couldn't help himself so he quickly moved on. "Come over here and I'll bandage you up."

"No, Carlos. It's fine. I can do it myself." Again, all Jay seemed to do when he was hurt was withdraw into himself. Carlos hated him for it but he didn't want to bring it up in case it gave Jay an excuse to leave him. Instead, he just swallowed his pride and rushed off to breakfast. He couldn't stay in that room any more or he would lose it.

Jay followed him down shortly after but Carlos was still too upset to take his hand when Jay offered it. Evie gave the pair a worried glance while Mal just rolled her eyes. They both knew better than to bring it up but they had spent enough time around each other to know when something wasn't right. Carlos knew Evie was going to pester him about it later so he just gave her a glare that warned her not to say anything.

"Carlos… About last night…" Evie began as Carlos froze. Had Jay already told them about his nightmare? Did the whole school know? "Those flyers… they were horrible. Fairy Godmother says she's still no closer to finding out who is responsible but that hopefully she'll be able to find a clue with the latest batch."

"Carlos, I'm so sorry. I had no idea how bad it was for you." Ben began, as he sat down next to Mal. Clearly the whole school had seen the flyers which explained all the hushed whispers and quickly finished conversations as Carlos passed by.

"Yeah, Carlos, and we all support you. I never thought anyone could be so cruel to another person." Lonnie tried to reassure Carlos as she hugged him from behind. "Everyone wants to see whoever is responsible suffer. It's just so… horrible." Carlos could hear tears in Lonnie's voice and so quickly finished his breakfast and headed off to class before he broke down himself. It was humiliating knowing that the whole school now knew of his darkest moment. He tried to get it out of his mind as he settled into class. He was early enough that he was the only one there but motioned for Jane to sit next to him as soon as she arrived so that Jay would not have the opportunity.

The rest of the day went slowly for Carlos. He rushed between classes trying to avoid Jay, knowing that he would snap if he saw him. Whenever Jay headed in his direction, Carlos would pretend to be in deep conversation with someone so Jay had no option but to move past him. Carlos knew he would need to face Jay eventually but he didn't feel like making a scene when everyone already thought he was on the edge of a breakdown.

Carlos was lying down in bed, absent-mindedly rubbing Dude's belly when Jay finally entered the room. Jay had realised something was wrong and had given Carlos his space. Now though, it became clear that Jay wasn't going to let it go.

"What's wrong Carlos?"

"Nothing." Carlos mumbled, not even bringing himself to look at Jay. He knew that he would only lose it if he did.

"Hey, don't lie to me. Something is up. You've been avoiding me all day. Is this about last night? Or this morning? Or what? Just tell me Carlos so I can try to fix it."

"You'd like that wouldn't you." Carlos muttered angrily, before he could stop himself. It had come out much harsher than he had anticipated but he was relieved to finally have some sort of segue into what he really wanted to discuss.

"What?" Jay was taken aback, he had no idea what Carlos was talking about.

"You'd like it if there was something wrong, wouldn't you? That way you could come in and fix me. Be the hero you so desperately want to be."

"C, that's not true!"

"Isn't it?"

"It's not!" Jay was adamant this time and it broke some of Carlos' resolve, not enough to stop him from continuing however.

"You sure you're not enjoying being my savior a little too much?" Carlos practically spat at him.

"Carlos! What are you talking about? Look at me and tell me what you mean." Jay wasn't demanding as much as begging at this point. Carlos eventually shifted around to look at the older boy, knowing that he was now ready to face him.

"You're always so happy to help me when I'm hurt but the minute I even try to help you, you shut down."

"No, I don't."

"YES, YOU DO!" Carlos couldn't help himself but shout that reply. It was annoying him that Jay wasn't even able to admit to himself what he was doing. "You did it this morning! Whenever it's my time to step-up and help you out you always push me away. Why Jay?"

"I don't– "

"Enough! Just tell me Jay! Why?"

"I don't know why Carlos! It's just the way I was raised, I guess."

"It was how I was raised too Jay, but I overcame it. Why can't you let me help you?" Jay remained silent so Carlos kept pushing. "Why? Why, Jay? JUST TELL ME!"

"Because I don't want to look weak." Jay had said the words before he could stop himself. He immediately regretted it but it was the truth. He had no idea how much those words would affect Carlos. Carlos just sat in stunned silence for a minute, thinking over what Jay had said. His face turned red as tears welled in the corner of his eyes.

Quietly, he replied. "Like me. You don't want to look weak like me."

"Carlos, no, that's not what I meant." Jay tried to take back what he had said but Carlos was out the door before he could finish.

Carlos rushed down the hall as he heard Jay call after him. Everyone he passed looked strangely at him, tears silently pouring down his red face. Jay continued calling but after a while the voice faded away as Carlos turned corner after corner. He wasn't sure where he was headed, but he just let his feet go where they needed to. Jay's words had hurt him. Carlos hated feeling weak but apparently that's how Jay had seen him. Carlos began questioning their whole relationship, was it all built on his perceived weakness? Did Jay really have a savior complex?

Carlos found himself outside Mal and Evie's dorm but he wasn't ready to face them so he just kept walking. Eventually he stopped in the library and took a moment to just enjoy the silence around him. There were a few glances in his direction but he couldn't hear any hushed whispers and so he finally allowed himself to relax. He picked a random book on electrical engineering and began reading about wires and coding.

He felt his pocket vibrate and fished out his phone only to see 10 missed calls from Jay and about 20 worried texts. Carlos knew that something was going to come out of his confrontation with Jay, he had just never expected it to be that. He couldn't bring himself to answer and so turned his phone off. He knew it would only cause the other VKs more worry, but right now Carlos just needed some alone time to think.

Hours later Carlos felt a light tap on his shoulder as the librarian told him that it was time to go. The library was closing but it was not unusual for Carlos to be there right until closing. He smiled weakly at the librarian before packing up and heading out. He was slightly hurt that Jay hadn't come to find him in the library, but he was also relieved because he was not ready to face him just yet. There was still another hour until curfew and Carlos was reluctant to head back to their dorm so he headed outside for some fresh air.

"Hey, Carlos, come check this out! Quickly! It's really awesome!" Carlos looked down and smiled to see Dude next to him, his tail wagging excitedly. "Come on! Hurry!"

Carlos was glad for the distraction so he happily followed Dude who ran across the lawn excitedly. Carlos was so focused on the dog that he hadn't realised that they were heading into the forest surrounding Auradon Prep. Before long he found himself in a clearing where Dude had stopped, almost mesmerized.

"Hey, what did you want to show me?" Carlos asked the dog whose tail had stopped wagging. Dude didn't respond.

Carlos looked up and was confronted by a shadowy figure a few metres in front of him. Carlos realised who it was and his body froze as his blood ran cold.

"Hello darling."


	17. Chapter 17

Jay knew that he hadn't meant to say it, but still, he had said it. He had regretted it immediately after, especially since he had seen the look in Carlos' face. It was the same look he had seen countless times after witness Cruella's brutality. He looked… empty. Jay hated that he had done this to him. He had never meant to imply that Carlos was in any way weak. Jay loved him because he wasn't weak.

"Like me. You don't want to look weak like me."

Jay felt broken inside. He had hurt the person he cared the most about and there was no way to take back what he had said. He began to try but Carlos had fled before he had had the chance. Jay ran to the door and called after him but he just kept running without looking back. Jay didn't have to see his face to know that he was crying.

Jay wanted to run after him but he knew that Carlos needed some time to cool down. They were never going to get anywhere if Jay ran after him. They would just yell at each other some more. Jay didn't even know how things managed to get so out of hand.

Last night had been the start of it, of that he was sure. Everything had been fine up until last night. Not perfect, far from it, but at least it was somewhat manageable. Jay knew he shouldn't have acted so rashly that morning. He should have talked it out with Carlos instead of taking his anger out on his own reflection.

He didn't mean to brush Carlos off, it must have just been the way he was raised. On the Isle you were hurt and you took care of yourself. You didn't ask for help, that was weak. You had to be strong in order to survive. Jay had been the strongest, even the Gastons envied him. It was hard for him to readjust to Auradon where asking for help is what you had to do. Auradon was so far apart from the Isle that it was often hard for Jay to reconcile the person he was now with the one he was before.

Clearly it had begun to show as even Carlos had begun to hate him. Jay knew that this day would come, when Carlos would finally realise his true worth. Carlos had never appreciated himself enough. Had been convinced by those around him that he was always 'less than'. Jay, he proposed, had clearly just taken advantage of a younger boy who didn't value himself enough. Jay was just a thief, he didn't feel as though he deserved Carlos or anyone even close to him.

Jay had deserved the life Carlos had been given. Then things would have been right. Carlos was always too good for the Isle but Jay… well, Jay knew that he belonged there. He was awoken from his self-pity by Evie berating him.

"What the hell have you done now?"

"Why must I have done something?"

"Because we both know that Carlos cares for you too much to ever do anything to upset you!" Evie was almost in tears at this point.

"And I don't love him as much? Is that what you're trying to say, E? That I take him for granted?"

"No Jay! Of course not! I just mean… well… let's face it, Carlos still doesn't believe enough in himself and he's always in fear that you'll leave him."

"No, he's not, I would never leave him."

"Yes, he is Jay! Why can't you see that? Why do you think it takes him so long to ever confront you on anything? He's always worried that if he annoys you too much that you'll leave him. That's why his confrontations are so massive, because he holds it all in! How could you not know?" Evie was now furious at Jay. He was meant to love Carlos, how had he not noticed? If Jay was honest with himself he would know that Evie was right. Deep down he had always known. He had just chosen not to believe it. It was easier that way, for Jay at least. "So… What did you do?" Evie questioned again when Jay remained silent.

"He thinks that I think he's weak." Jay eventually muttered, giving in to Evie's unending glare.

"And why does he think that?" Evie's fury was only rising so Jay knew it was better to just tell her the truth. "YOU IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Evie punctuated every word with a punch.

"I don't know." Jay sobbed, finally allowing himself to break down. "It's just that every time I get something good I fuck up. What am I supposed to do now?"

"You try and make it up to him you dumbass! You spend every waking minute of the rest of your life trying to make it up to him. You try and win him back and if he doesn't want you back then you let him move on. You don't hurt him any more than you already have. For once in your life Jay, be selfless."

"I don't even know where he is."

"Library." Evie didn't even need to think about this and she knew that Jay had known that as well. He was clearly only stalling to delay the inevitable.

"How do you know?"

"This is Carlos we're talking about. He'll be there. Now stop being a coward and go!"

Evie left the room but Jay still couldn't bring himself to move. He had upset Carlos and disappointed everyone around him. They were finally starting to see the real Jay and it was destroying them just as Jay destroys everything in his life. He wanted to go to Carlos but knew that doing so would only bring them both more pain. Instead, he hid out in his room until Mal's angry knocking distracted him again.

"GET OFF YOUR SORRY ASS AND OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR JAY BEFORE I TURN YOU INTO A RAT!"

"What?" Jay asked angrily as he opened the door.

"What?" Mal was even more angry than Evie and her eyes were glowing dangerously green. "Is that all you have to say? 'What'?"

"So what?"

"So what? You are so bloody stupid! You're right, Carlos does deserve better! He deserves someone with some common sense and brains! That used to be you until you became this goblin in front of me!"

"That was never me. I never deserved someone like Carlos."

"You really are so bloody stupid, aren't you? It's always been the two of you! Call it fate or whatever you like but you were made for each other! We all saw it the day you came running to Evie's with his broken body in your arms. We thought you would never do anything to hurt him!"

"Well I have."

"Obviously! Yet you're still so stupid that you won't even try to fix it!" Mal knew she was been blunt but Jay needed to hear everything she was saying. It was the only way he would ever understand and do what needed to be done. Mal was the only one, aside from Carlos, who ever managed to make it through Jay's thick skull. Sometimes she wondered if his beanie interfered with his brain-waves or something.

"He won't talk to me."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know Carlos. You saw him today!"

"Yeah, I also saw you being a coward. Today was your chance to step up and prove to Carlos that you are everything he deserves. Yet you failed miserably. Even now, you're just continuing to fail."

"Welcome to my life."

"ENOUGH WITH THE PITY PARTY!" Jay thought he heard scurried feet in the hall and knew everyone was fleeing for cover. They all knew what could happen if Mal ever lost control of her temper. "You want to save Carlos? You want to keep him forever? THEN STEP UP AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE!"

"What do I do?"

"GO TO HIM YOU IDIOT! DID YOU HAVE GOBLIN'S MILK FOR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING OR SOMETHING?"

"He won't talk to me." Mal rolled her eyes as they came full circle.

"How would you know if you haven't even tried?" Sometimes Jay's stupidity surprised even Mal. "Anyway, the library is already closed and curfew is coming shortly so he'll be back. When he does you better make it up to him or you'll have more than just a broken heart to worry about."

"Yeah, yeah." Dread filled Jay's heart as he tried to pass off Mal's warnings. Sometimes she was just talk but he knew that this was not one of these times. He also knew that Carlos would be coming back soon, he never missed curfew for fear of getting sent back to his mother. Jay could see Mal's eyes narrow as she tried to say something. Instead she only made a frustrated scream and stormed out of the room. He knew he was going to have to make it up to her, but right now his focus was on Carlos. He would be back soon and he had to be ready to face him.

Jay started planning speeches in his head and tried to think of a hundred different ways he could make it up to Carlos. Apparently even Dude was aware of something wrong as he had long since vacated the room he spent most of his time in. Curfew came and went and there was no sign of Carlos. Jay wasn't worried as much as he was just upset. Jay knew that Carlos had probably gone to sleep in Ben's dorm or even with Mal and Evie. It was what Carlos did when he was trying to avoid Jay. He hadn't done it recently but in the past he had done it all the time. Jay still prepared all his speeches and apologies though and he fell asleep at his desk as he wrote letter after letter to Carlos while the crumpled paper slowly began to overflow the bin next to him. He had tried texting and calling but eventually his phone just went straight to voicemail. Carlos was clearly ignoring him, and for good reason Jay thought.

Jay woke with a start and realised he was late to class. Normally Carlos set the alarm but clearly Carlos never came back. Jay hurriedly got dressed and headed to his first class of the day. When he got there, everyone stared at him while a few people snickered. As he walked to his desk (apologizing to the teacher along the way) he heard whispers of Carlos and immediately knew that everyone thought he had stayed in bed with his boyfriend all morning. Was Carlos even still his boyfriend though? Jay didn't have much time to think about this however before the teacher began talking about an upcoming quiz that Jay really had to pass if he wanted any chance at not failing the subject.

The rest of the day flew by slowly for Jay who was hoping for any glance of Carlos that he could find. Clearly though the younger boy was avoiding him, and Jay didn't blame him for it either. Jay wouldn't blame Carlos if he never wanted to speak to him ever again.

"Have you seen Carlos?" Evie asked him at dinner, her voice full of concern.

"No, what's wrong?" Jay's mind immediately flashed to Carlos lying hurt in a corner, tears silently cascading down his cheeks. Those hurt him the most.

"Oh, nothing, I just wanted to know if you'd seen him. I haven't heard from him all day, he's not replying to any of my messages."

"None of mine either." Jane added as she sat down next to them. "I'm really starting to worry. I saw him last night in the library but after that nothing. Did he come home last night?"

"Nah, I thought he was avoiding me so I thought he just stayed in either your room, Evie, or in Ben's."

"Wasn't with me last night." Ben said as he slid in next to Mal. "Come to think of it, he wasn't in my science class this morning either."

"WHAT?!" Jay and Evie cried simultaneously. Carlos would sooner die than miss Science class. One time he was kicked out because the teacher was worried that he would give everyone the flu.

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Mal berated Ben who suddenly looked very sheepish.

"Well, I heard Jay was late to class as well so I just assumed that… you know… make up sex?" Mal didn't even want to look Ben in the eyes. He might be King but he was also incredibly stupid. He would definitely not be getting any sexual contact of any kind for a while. It seemed to Mal that all she did was save Auradon, and Ben in the process, sometimes.

"Maybe he's just sulking?" Doug asked, trying to calm everyone down.

"Not Carlos. He would never miss a science class."

"Well, yeah, I know but lately… things have been hard for him, yeah? I mean those flyers couldn't have done him any good."

"Trust me, they didn't." Jay replied, concern for his… Carlos growing with every second that passed.

"We should really go see mum." Jane suggested which earned nods from everyone around the table. They all quickly stood up and made their way to Fairy Godmother's office.

"One at a time, dear ones! I can barely make out anything you're saying. What's happened to Carlos?"

"He's missing!" Jay cried before anyone else had a chance to speak. It was his fault that Carlos was gone in the first place so he knew he had to at least try to make it right. "Yesterday he and I had a fight so when he didn't come back to his dorm I just thought he was still avoiding me. Then it turns out no one has seen him since he left the library last night and he skipped every one of his classes today. One of them was science."

"Oh dear, that is not good. Have you spoken to Dude? I know his speech is really quite annoying," Mal looked down guiltily at this, "but possibly he could help us with this?"

"I already spoke to him, he hasn't seen Carlos since yesterday when they went to the library. He doesn't remember anything after that but he woke up in the kitchen this morning so he probably fell asleep eating… like always." Evie rolled her eyes when she finished speaking. Dude really was something else and you either loved him or hated him. Lately though his speech was making him more of a target for hatred than love.

"Has anyone tried to text or call him?"

"Yeah, he hasn't responded and his phone just goes straight to voicemail, it must be off."

"Uh, that's probably my fault again." Jay swallowed. "I kept texting and calling him last night to try and make things up but after a while he must have turned his phone off because it began going straight to voicemail. You have to do something, can't you cast a spell or something?"

"I'm afraid not, dear one. You know Auradon has very strict rules regarding magic and I doubt this would count as a time when such a rule could be broken. Am I right, Ben?"

"Y-yeah." Ben quietly muttered out, much to the chagrin of his friends. "I'm really sorry guys but the council would chew me up over that. I didn't let Merlin use magic when that beast was terrorizing Camelot. It wouldn't look good now if I suddenly changed the rule for a friend. I'm really sorry guys."

"What about my mirror? Mal's spell book?"

"Again, dear one, that would be up to our King."

"I'm really sorry guys but I can't bend the rules for my friends. That is a very dangerous precedent for any King to set."

"Ugh, then what's the point of dating you then?" Ben looked genuinely hurt at this comment so Mal gave him an apologetic look and decided to go softer on him from now on.

"What about Uma and her crew? Could they have anything to do with this?" Evie asked worry clear across her face. If Uma was involved, that would mean…

"HARRY?! No, please, you can't be serious. Tell me they're still on the Isle!" Jay pleaded. Carlos did not need to be anywhere near that monster. Jay had been able to save him twice from Harry, he doubted he would be lucky enough to do it a third time.

"Don't worry guys! They're all still on the Isle. Ever since Uma put a love spell on me, her and her crew have been closely monitored. If they're up to something, we'll know." Ben reassured everyone.

"Could it be connected to the flyers?" Jane asked. Ben suddenly looked guiltily down at his hands.

"What are you not telling us Ben?" Mal asked immediately. She knew whenever her boyfriend was hiding something, it made their relationship so much easier (for Mal anyway). Auradonians were all such terrible liars.

"They still don't know who made the flyers but we found the source of the images."

"WHAT?! WHERE?!" Cries came from across the room, even Fairy Godmother looked stunned by this revelation.

"On the Dark Web Carlos uncovered. You remember, where you found out about that Anti-Heroes thing?"

"Yeah, the one that turned out to be Yen Sid's goodness group on the Isle? How could we forget." Jay's words had reminded the VKs of their trip back to the Isle and their subsequent quest for their parent's talismans.

"Well, anyway, on there we found videos and photos. Terabytes of them, which is why it's taken us so long to sift through it all. Some of those videos are of Carlos and Harry and the aftermath of some of their… encounters."

Jay's blood ran cold at the thought of all the people on the Isle seeing the side of Carlos that he had tried to hide for so long. "Carlos told me that… that _he_ " Jay spat out the last word as he couldn't bring himself to give Harry any proper credit for his wickedness, "recorded almost everything they did together. To watch it back later and scare Carlos even more apparently."

"That's horrible." Jane murmured, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of her best friend being subjected to such cruelty.

"Yeah, so it's making our job very hard. Anyone with access to the internet and the dark web could have found those images and spread them around the school. They're definitely in Auradon though."

"What makes you say that?" Fairy Godmother suddenly interjected as her fear for the school began to grow.

"Well, the photo of Jay wasn't on the dark web. That one was taken from the doorway as it happened. Whoever is responsible was there at the time. Though there could be any number of people involved, but certainly more than one."

"Wh-what? More than… one?" Fairy Godmother's eyes grew wider as it dawned on her that a group of her students could be so cruel and cowardly. The others had never seen Fairy Godmother so full of worry before and it scared them all. Even when Carlos was brought back near-death she had remained somewhat calm, at least given the circumstances.

"Well, yeah. The flyers were distributed too widely and far too quickly for it to be a single-person operation. Magic was most likely involved in some way or another but there's no way to trace it. We're pretty much just waiting for them to do it again so we can catch them in the act. It's our only hope."

"But if Carlos is missing maybe they already have what they wanted? Maybe they won't do it again. What are you going to do then?" Jay asked, worry in his voice. Whoever had been cruel enough to distribute those flyers must have no qualms about whatever they could possibly do to Carlos… It scared Jay almost as much as nearly losing Carlos had.

"Hope." Ben said quietly as he put an arm around Jay. "It's all we can do right now."


	18. Chapter 18

"Hello darling."

"M-m-mother?" Carlos would recognise that voice anywhere, even without the acrid smell of smoke emanating from the shadowy figure. "H-how are you here?"

"Details, details Darling. Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to… catch up." Cruella stepped into the light, her eyes twinkling with malice. All signs of her insanity were non-existent. It was as if she was a new woman and it scared Carlos more than even one of her most violent episodes. An insane Cruella was impulsive and dangerous but a sane one… Well, she would know exactly the right buttons to push. She then leaned down to Dude and cooed to him. "Now run along dearie, and forget all of this."

To Carlos' horror he saw Dude run off back towards the school. Or at least where Carlos thought the school would be. He hadn't been paying much attention to where he was going in the woods and to be perfectly honest, he had absolutely no idea where he was. "Why is he…"

"Betraying you? Oh, don't look so shocked darling. It's not as if he has a choice. He has been rather useful these past few months however." A wicked grin spread across Cruella's face as she saw the shock register on her son's face.

"M-months? How…" Then it dawned on Carlos, she must have come over when the others had rescued him from Hook.

"Yes, I'm glad you're finally catching on. It was getting rather boring having to listen to that boorish brute reveal all the boring details of your torrid little fling." Cruella may not have always been mentally present when Carlos was growing up but she was still as smart as ever. She had a way of understanding people, often before they even understood themselves.

"It's not- Wait, what do you mean Dude doesn't have a choice?"

"Well, he's under my influence of course. I thought you were supposed to be smart, like me."

"Influence? As in… magic?" Carlos had never once heard anything about his mother possessing any sort of magical ability. On the Isle she had never mentioned it and everything he had read about her since coming to Auradon had never referenced it either.

"Of course, you imbecile!" Carlos flinched instinctively which made Cruella cackle with enjoyment. "Did you think Maleficent kept me around because of my style? Of course not!" Cruella cackled again at the thought of Maleficent. "I mean, have you seen what she wears? Horns were so last century and that black and purple vibe just doesn't really go with… anything. Still, at least now that she's a lizard she can't inflict any more… damage to the fashion world. My magic mainly extends to the control and influence of animals but… I have been practicing." Cruella sneered at the memory of that last part.

"But how did you know to follow us over to Auradon?" Carlos was still confused on some of the details.

"Seriously, darling, are we even related?"

"I wish we weren't." Carlos muttered under his breath, causing Cruella to recoil in shock. Never before had Carlos ever spoken back to her. Auradon had clearly changed him but Cruella wasn't worried. She was going to have some fun before sending him back.

"If you really must know," Cruella puffed "I was shopping around for some new fabrics, if that's what you could call those rags, when, much to my surprise, Gaston's little brat runs past screaming about dragons and fire. I knew the only person who could turn into a dragon like the one he was prattling on about would have to be the spawn of that wicked little fairy. So, I hid behind the ruins of the bridge, knowing that you'd eventually have to drive past. That purple haired fairy girl - "

"Mal! Her name is Mal!" Carlos interrupted, causing Cruella to slap him hard just to keep him quiet.

"I AM SPEAKING! Whoever that brat was, she was driving so fast I had plenty of time to run behind you. I made it halfway across before the bridge disappeared and I had to swim the rest of the way. Ruined one of my good furs too. Still, there's plenty of furry creatures in Auradon I could skin to make a new one. How is King Beast these days?"

Carlos didn't dare speak again so Cruella smiled before continuing. "Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised to find out when I arrived that you were in somewhat of a life-threatening condition. That Harry Hook always did know how to make an impression." Cruella cackled again at the memory of all the scars she had seen whenever Carlos returned from a night out with Harry. "Shame he could never finish the job. Still, if he did I wouldn't be here today. So I guess I owe the imbecile that much."

"What do you want, mother?"

"All in good time, darling. You'll know soon enough. Surely you must have some questions for your dear mummikins? We have so much catching up to do!"

Carlos paused for a moment, he knew he probably didn't have long until Cruella relapsed into her psychotic state so he had to ask the most important questions that he would at least get somewhat of an answer to. "H-how come you never mentioned you had magic?"

"Oh darling, it was just easier that way. They threw me on that Isle just for trying to make a beautiful new coat, what do you think they would have done if they also knew I had magic? Not that I could have ever used it there anyway. Seriously, I thought you were smart. That's all your mutt ever talked about, speaking of which, why can he talk?" Cruella seemed genuinely interested, for once in her life, so Carlos was more than happy to oblige her with an answer.

"Truth gummy."

This revelation made Cruella cackle even more than before. "Oh my, darling! Haha, what were you trying to get him to tell you? Where he buries his bones?"

"It was meant for me." Carlos muttered through clenched teeth. His mother's cackle always felt like finger nails across a chalk board to him. He had felt the sting of their touch far too often in his life. "I needed to ask someone to Cotillion…" Carlos' face grew red which only spurred Cruella's taunting on more.

"Oh, look at my little runt! Too scared to ask someone to a dance? Good thing my fashion empire collapsed decades ago or you would have run it into the ground." Cruella's face seemed to harden at the thought of all that had been taken from her. It seemed to preoccupy her for a time so Carlos had a chance to think over everything new he had learnt from his mother in such a short space of time.

"Wait, if you have magic, does that mean I do too?"

"I'm afraid you inherited much of your father's… inadequacies. So no, you will not be able to control creatures like I do. You'll probably just find that they gravitate towards you, but you'll still have no control over them." Cruella suddenly became very pensive, and Carlos thought he saw regret fall across her face, but only for a split second. "Be glad of that, anyway, darling."

"W-why?" Carlos was genuinely curious as to what could have made his mother show such an emotion that was so unlike her.

"Because, darling, all magic comes with a price. Especially for us villains." Carlos was surprised at this, in all his research he had never come across anything about having to pay to use magic.

"But we've used magic plenty of times while on Auradon, how come we haven't had to pay? Not that I had much money anyway, thanks to you."

"Idiot!" Cruella glared at him. "The price of magic isn't monetary, it's not like a shop. No, the price of magic is far worse. Tell me, when Mal cast that love spell on Prince Always-in-Jeopardy, was she happy? Even when making the antidote, she needed to shed a genuine tear of sadness to complete the spell. When Princess Blueberry used her mirror to find you Fairy Godmother's wand, you were almost caught, correct? Then you had to actually go to school here! Even Mal's hair spells eventually resulted in the whole school turning against her, even that overgrown moth's daughter."

"Wait, how do you know all this?"

"Darling, pay attention! I've been here for months, several weeks of which you were unconscious for, and so I've had plenty of time to catch up on all of your little… escapades. The animals see and hear everything."

"But what about you? You didn't seem to pay much of a price for your magic."

"Seriously, do you cheat in school or something? How can someone so stupid ever be considered smart? You definitely inherited more of your father's inadequacies than I had first realised." Cruella sighed with disappointment before continuing. "I lost everything, darling. My fashion empire was crumbling around me, no one wanted furs anymore, and even my creative flare had all but vanished. Magic took the best years of my life, along with most of my sanity, and left me to rot in that dreadful place."

"The Isle of the Lost." Carlos quietly muttered, his mind filling with the painful memories of his life there.

"No, darling. London." Cruella's face twisted into one of disgust at the thought of the place. "Just, terrible. The Isle was really much nicer, trust me darling. It's like they've never heard of good fashion. Still, at least I had my old school chum. Eventually though, the magic took her away from me too." Cruella paused again as Carlos recognised regret on her face for only the second time in his life. "How is she doing these days? Anita, I mean."

Carlos was surprised to hear anything so genuine come from his mother. Carlos had only ever known her intense psychosis and had never actually believed that she could care about another living person. Carlos felt a pain in his gut at the realization that she had loved a friend, but not her own son. "A-anita? She's… She's fine actually. Her and Roger have been helping Pongo and Perdita look for colleges for their ninety-nine Dalmatians." Carlos smiled at the thought. "Apparently it's quite tricky to find suitable courses for such a large and diverse group. Luckily _King_ Ben provided scholarships for them all so at least that's not an issue." Carlos stopped himself as he realised he had been rambling. He expected a hiding from Cruella but instead found her to be lost in thought. If he wasn't mistaken, he could have sworn he saw a hint of a smile on her lips.

"That sounds like Anita, always looking out for others." Cruella appeared to be considering her next words very carefully before continuing. "Does… Does she… hate me?" If Carlos didn't know Cruella he would have sworn that he heard pleading in her voice.

"No, she doesn't. She actually petitioned the King to not have you exiled to the Island." Carlos saw that the words comforted his mother so, for some unknown reason, he continued. "She doesn't blame you, you know. She just thinks you weren't in your right mind when you… did what you did." Even after all these years, Carlos still couldn't bring himself to mention what his mother had tried to do to those poor puppies. "She would have preferred you be placed under psychiatric care in Auradon than be sent to the Isle like some common villain. She showed me photos of the pair of you in college, you looked happy."

"I suppose I was." Cruella said, lost in the memories of her best friend, her only friend. "But then I discovered my gift and everything changed." Cruella appeared to shake the thoughts from her head before continuing. "Which is why you should be grateful not to have this ability. Still, it does come with a certain… power which is hard to refuse."

Carlos was lost for words. He had never thought that he would ever see this side of Cruella in his life. He had never understood what Anita had seen in her but if this is what she could be like… Carlos was lost in deep thought for a moment longer before he decided to eventually break the awkward silence between them.

"So… why am I here, now?"

"Oh darling, all in good time. Don't you worry, we'll have plenty of time together and soon enough you'll know why I needed you." Any good left in Cruella's soul had clearly dissipated with the memories of her friend and she was back to her cruel self again.

"My friends will find me."

"Oh, I'm sure they will, eventually. I'm counting on it. But we should still have some quality time between us before that moment comes. Now, follow." That last command had come out of Cruella the same way she had spoken to Dude. For some reason, Carlos couldn't resist following her which made Cruella smile.

Carlos followed his mother deeper into the woods before he came into a clearing that looked like a five-star hotel had thrown up in it. Cruella had clearly been in Auradon a long time if she had been able to conjure all this up.

"As I said, the animals over here have been rather useful. It's good to have my… influence back." Carlos stopped at the edge of the clearing as his mother continued over to a book shelf next to an intricate old mirror that seemed strangely out of place. When she turned towards her son, he was horrified to see a leash and collar in her hand. "This, is to make sure you don't run off on me again. At least not until I'm ready for you to anyway." Carlos was confused as to why his mother would want to let him go, it scared him not to know. Cruella had had months alone to scheme up something awful and it made the younger boy feel faint.

Before he had a chance to lose himself, however, he felt Cruella snap the collar around his neck. Shortly after he felt a burning heat next to his face and was horrified to discover Cruella melting the collar shut around his neck. There was no escaping her now. She then led him over to a tree at the edge of the clearing, well out of all the luxury, and tied him to it before melting the chain shut as well.

"Now, you be a good little boy and get some rest. Mummy will come back for you soon and then we can continue our lovely little chat."

Carlos spent the rest of the night shivering in the cold and he eventually fell asleep hugging the tree he was tethered to in the hopes that he could glean some warmth from it. However, it was nothing like Jay and it only made Carlos tear up to think about the older boy. They had had a massive fight and Carlos was sure that Jay was going to leave him if ever they rescued him from his mother.

Carlos was tethered to that tree for a week before his mother ever came back for him. At first he thought he was going to starve but then he saw animals bringing him fruit. They acted almost robotically and so Carlos knew his mother had ordered them to do it. He had never actually considered his mother having any magical powers, and it only scared him to know it now. On the Isle it wouldn't have worried him as much but here in Auradon… His mother could do anything to him and there would be no one to hear his screams.

"Darling, you really shouldn't hug trees like that. You'll ruin your clothes."

"They're already ruined." Carlos replied, again through gritted teeth. A week of sleeping in the dirt and having to relieve himself in the same place he slept had ruined Evie's fashion forward outfit. His shirt now hung in tatters around him and his shorts had long since being stolen by a wolf. Most likely it was another of Cruella's cruel tricks.

"Of course they are darling. They were ruined the moment you put them on." This seemed to amuse Cruella who broke out into another round of cackling.

"Jay is going to – "

"Ha! He's going to what? Steal from me? What could that street rat ever do to me while I can control all the animals in Auradon?"

"He'll find a way."

"Oh, darling, I doubt it. Still, I look forward to witnessing your first heartbreak. It should be fun to see you finally realise the truth." Carlos knew Cruella was trying to get a rise out of him but Jay was still a soft spot for him.

"What truth?" He spat.

"That he doesn't actually love you. That he's only with you to fulfil some sick hero complex. I mean, come on darling, it took you nearly dying for him to finally admit his feelings for you." Cruella paused to take in Carlos' hurt expression. It made her smile to know she could still inflict pain on her son, even without actually touching him. "That's not love, that's guilt."

"WE LOVE EACH OTHER! YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE!" Carlos hadn't meant to yell, he knew it would only make Cruella happy, but he couldn't control himself. What she said had been in the back of his mind for a while now, maybe she had a point. No, Jay loved him. Carlos refused to let Cruella win again.

"Ha! Love? You don't even know what that is." Cruella jeered, spurred on by her son's outburst. "Darling, I am your mother and even I couldn't love you. You were always the runt who could never quite match up with expectations. Face it, Carlos, you're worthless. The sooner you understand that, the better it will be. For all of us."

"I am not… worthless." Carlos spat, trying to stop the tears from falling down his face. He was right, a sane Cruella knew exactly the right buttons to push.

"Oh yes you are!" Cruella cried before pulling out a knife and pushing Carlos' face into the dirt. Carlos knew fighting back would only make whatever was coming even worse so he just lay on the ground. He was paralysed by fear. There was a tense silence in the woods, even the birds had stopped chirping, which was broken by Carlos' pained screams as he felt a sharp pain in his back.

He could hear Cruella laugh as she carved letters into his spine. When she was done she stood back and admired her handiwork before casually sauntering away, whistling the song Roger had written about her. It hurt too much for Carlos to move so he just lay there with his face in the dirt. He didn't want to try and see what she had carved into him but he had a fair idea.

It felt like an eternity before the pain finally retreated to a dull throbbing in his spine. Still, Carlos couldn't bring himself to move, except to nibble at the fruit the animals brought to him.

Carlos just lay on the ground, his collar digging into his skin. His dreams were full of nightmares and of his friends laughing at him. He dreamt them finding him and joining his mother to laugh at him. Carlos could see Jay point and laugh along with the rest of them and it hurt him more than injury his mother could inflict.

For what seemed like the millionth time in his life, Carlos lay in the dirt and prayed to any grand deity that might be listening, to let him die. Please, just let him die.


	19. Chapter 19

_(A/N: Sorry for the shorter chapter, I just wanted to show what Jay was going through and I had my heart set on the ending of the chapter. All will be revealed in the next chapter.)_

It had been over a week since Carlos had disappeared and Jay was beside himself. He could barely sleep and his studies were really starting to slip. He had long since given up any hope of returning to Tourney, at least not until Carlos was back. Jay knew the sport wouldn't be the same without his brains by his side. Every night, Jay found himself falling asleep on Carlos' bed and hugging Dude close. The pair of them were lost without the freckled teen.

The only positive to come out of any of this is that there were no more disgusting flyers going around the school. Chad had tried to bring this up when comforting Jay but it had only ended in everyone glaring at him until he stopped talking. Chad had actually been uncharacteristically supportive during the whole ordeal, and had even offered that Jay could stay with him until Carlos returned. Jay had politely declined his offer without a second thought though. He didn't want Carlos to come stumbling back to an empty room in the middle of the night.

Even though it had been a week, Jay still had hope that his lover would return. He knew they had had a massive fight, but even still, he loved Carlos. He would have changed everything about himself if it meant been able to keep Carlos by his side. Until then, Jay had never fully understood the adage 'you don't know what you've got until it's gone'. He had always just passed it off as another of Auradon's silly little phrases. But now… now he would give up his life if it meant knowing that Carlos was going to be safe.

"Jay?" There was a light knocking at the door as he heard Evie come in. "Oh, Jay…" Evie never really knew what to say around the young man these days. She missed Carlos too but at least she hadn't had a fight with him before his disappearance. Instead of talking, Evie just got in bed next to him and gave him a massive hug until they were both crying.

"D-do you think he's alright?" Jay asked, the pleading clear in his voice.

"Carlos is strong. He survived fourteen years with that monster of a woman," Evie could never bring herself to mention Cruella's name, not after she discovered how Carlos had been treated by her, "I'm certain he'll be able to survive a week with whoever has him."

"Evie…" Jay began, his voice uncertain as he was on the precipice of tears once again.

"Yeah?" Evie prompted when Jay failed to continue.

"What… what if Carlos wasn't kidnapped? What if… what if he ran away?" The last question raced out of Jay's mouth as though he thought he would choke on the words.

"Jay!" Evie was horrified at what Jay was considering. "Of course not! No matter how big a fight you too had, Carlos still loves you! He would never leave you! He would never miss out on school, either. Wherever he is, he isn't there by choice."

"How can you know that?" Jay pleaded, hoping for any answer that could calm the tidal wave of guilt building in his chest.

"Because I know Carlos. He would never leave you."

"I called him weak."

"No! You didn't! It was a misunderstanding!"

"Evie… what if I meant it?"

"Jay…"

"Seriously, E, what if I did?"

"Snap out of it!" Mal cried as she stormed into the room. She had been standing outside the whole time and was quickly growing sick of the pity party. "You two had a fight, move on! Everyone fights! It'd be unhealthy if you didn't, even in Auradon."

"Mal!" Evie scolded her. Mal had always been blunt but there was a time and a place.

"No, E! He needs to hear this! Carlos is missing but staying in your room and moping about it isn't going to help anyone! You need to get up and do things, Carlos would not want you wasting your life on his account."

"Mal!" Evie cried again.

"No, E… she has a point." Jay finally muttered, putting a calming hand on Evie's shoulder. "Thanks Mal, you're right. It's just really hard, you know? I love him so much and yet the last time we spoke he ran out as if I'd slapped him in the face! The night before he looked at me as if I was his mother!"

"You never told us that." Evie quietly said to herself.

"I didn't want to embarrass Carlos. He was going so well and then that second round of flyers came out and they sent him spiraling over the edge. He couldn't even sleep that night because of the painful memories the flyers brought up. He thought he was still stuck in Harry's…. in Harry's…" Jay couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence but Mal and Evie understood. They didn't know the full extent of course, some stories were Carlos' own to tell, but they knew enough.

"Jay, that's really not your fault." Mal reassured him, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "Carlos is so strong, but even the strongest people have their… softer moments. Just be glad that you were there to reassure him, imagine if he had been alone."

"Mal! I have been imagining that! Every night when I try to sleep all I can hear are his panicked screams at the nightmares in his head. Sometimes it's worse, sometimes I just see his face as tears slowly fall down his cheeks. He is out there all alone!"

"You don't know that, Jay, not for sure."

"Well whoever is holding him against his will, probably isn't the most caring of people. I just wish I knew where he was! Then we could go in and save him and I would never let go of him and I would tell him how much I loved him every second of every day and…" Jay trailed off as his eyes filled with tears. He had been rambling so as to stop the tears from coming, but sometimes there was no stopping them.

The three of them just stared sadly at each other as they thought of all the possibilities surrounding Carlos' disappearance. None of them spoke for a while until Mal finally broke the silence.

"Well, at least he's not on the Isle. Trust me, we would have heard about it. On the Dark Web or elsewhere. Carlos is loved by Yen Sid's group and hated by everyone else so there would have been some mention of him if they had him."

"Yeah, Mal's right Jay. In times like these we really need to be grateful for the little things. They allow us to fully appreciate the world around us."

"Yeah, I suppose you guys are right."

"Do you want us to stay here tonight?" Evie offered, trying anything to bring back the Jay they all knew and loved.

"Nah, I should be fine." Jay muttered to himself. "I have Dude and I think I just need some alone time. It gives me space to think."

"Alright, but if you need anything – "

"Call Evie!" Mal quickly interrupted, trying to get a smile out of Jay. She thought she saw some hint of one but it wasn't very much. Still, it was a start and it showed some possibility of Jay still being happy.

"Yes," Evie glared at Mal, "you can call me if you need anything. Otherwise Chad and Doug are just down the hall and I'm sure they'd both be more than happy to help."

"Thanks guys." Jay replied as he led them to the door. He no longer locked it, just in case Carlos came back. They probably didn't need to worry about the lock anyway, seeing as they're in Auradon, but sometimes old habits are hard to break. Either way, Jay left the door unlocked so that Carlos would still have a soft bed to come home to.

The rest of the night and following few days passed by so slowly for Jay. Fairy Godmother had excused him from classes but he knew that Carlos would punish him if he skipped any because of him. Jay tried to pay as much attention as he could but he would often find himself distracted by even the slightest reference to Carlos. Whether it be a picture of a dog, anything white, red or black or even any mention of their old home on the Isle. Lately, everything seemed to remind Jay of Carlos. He knew he wouldn't be able to truly be happy again until he had Carlos safely in his arms.

One night he just lay in bed with his beanie pulled down over his eyes. He had tried to play a video game to distract himself but it only reminded him of how Carlos loved to play those games. It probably didn't help that Carlos' name was next to every high score. He was woken from his reverie by an intense round of knocking at the door.

"Go away." Jay moaned.

"JAY! HURRY!" Evie called from the other side.

"Go, please!" Jay begged.

"Seriously…" Jay heard Mal mutter before he heard the lock click and the door slide open.

"Hey! No magic!" Jay could hear Ben cry as the door opened.

"Can it, King." Mal replied, a cheeky smile playing on her lips. Only Mal could talk to Ben that way.

"What do you guys want?" Jay asked begrudgingly, pulling the beanie off his head.

"We think we found Carlos!" Evie cried, her eyes full of happy tears.

"WHAT?! WHY DIDN'T YOU LEAD WITH THAT?" Jay cried, immediately jumping into action and catching everyone off guard. "Where is he?"

"Actually, we're not really sure." Ben replied, giving a cautious glance at the others.

"What?" Jay suddenly felt immediately deflated. He knew he shouldn't have hoped for anything but still… Carlos…

"But Dude says he found him!" Evie quickly replied, knowing the signs of Jay's deflation.

"Well then, where is he? Carlos, I mean."

"We haven't gone looking yet, we were waiting for you. We knew you'd want to be there when we rescued him." Ben supplied, his eyes full of empathy.

Jay wasted no time in rushing out the door where he saw Dude sitting patiently, obviously someone told him to sit and stay. "Well, Dude, lead the way!"

Before long the group of four were rushing down Auradon Prep's many grand halls and corridors until they found themselves standing outside.

"The woods? Really?" Evie asked, trepidation clear in her voice.

Dude didn't reply, instead he just ran ahead of them, occasionally looking back to see if they were still following. They weren't running very long until Dude led them into an empty clearing and stopped. Jay was heartbroken, they still weren't very far from school. Carlos had been so close the whole time. He probably could hear the school bell from here.

Jay didn't have long to mull it over however before he saw him. "CARLOS!" Jay cried but the boy didn't stir. Jay ran up to him before realizing he was chained to a tree with a collar around his neck. He tried to remove the collar but found it burnt shut. Carlos' eyes were closed but he was still breathing as he lay on his back. Jay tried to wake him but to no avail.

"DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SCISSORS?" Before long, Evie handed a pair to Jay and he set about detaching Carlos from his chains. It broke his heart to see the person he loved like this. Jay would have given anything to switch places with him at that very moment.

After successfully removing Carlos' collar he was suddenly hyper-aware of the state of his clothing. His shorts were missing and all he had was some tattered underwear and a torn shirt. Jay immediately took off his own jumper and went to wrap it around the boy. Rolling him over though, Jay was shocked to see the letters carved into Carlos' spine. The scars had long since scabbed over but the word was still clear.

"Worthless." Evie breathed while Mal's eyes turned a dangerous green. Ben seemed lost for words and shocked at what he was seeing. He hadn't seen Carlos after his ordeal with Harry so this was almost as bad as seeing the flyers.

Jay immediately scooped the younger boy into his arms and placed a loving kiss on his forehead as they began to make their way back to the school. Carlos looked like he would make it so Jay breathed a sigh of relief. Carlos began to stir in his arms and moan as he woke up.

"Wh-what?" Carlos eyes fluttered open as he felt Jay's chest against his. Then, something unexpected happened. Carlos eyes flared in anger as he pushed himself out of Jay's hands. "Get off me you filthy street rat."


	20. Chapter 20

It had been a few days after Cruella's art project on Carlos' spine before she finally returned.

"I see your healing up nicely. It's good to see the letters are still clear, now everyone will know who you really are." Cruella cackled at her own terrible joke, the sound made Carlos flinch but he was determined not to give his mother the satisfaction of thinking that she had won.

"What do you want?" Carlos asked behind bared teeth, trying hard not to let the pain in his voice show.

"Well, darling, my spell is almost ready. I thought you wanted to hear all about my wicked plan!" A dark smile twisted across Cruella's evil face as she saw Carlos' eyes widen.

"Wh-what? Really?"

"Well, of course darling! What good is an evil scheme if you can't even share it with anyone? Surely Lady Tremaine taught you that much." Cruella smiled again when she saw that Carlos was lost for words as he thought back to his time at Dragon Hall. Back then things had been so much simpler. Sure, he was still under Cruella's harsh control, but at least he knew where he stood. In Auradon, things were just so much more… complicated. Goodness was just so much more intricate than wickedness. "Well, do you want to hear mummy's devious plan or not?" Carlos merely nodded, still lost deep in his own memories.

"Tell me darling, what do you know of the Snow Queen?"

Carlos was confused for a moment, he had never thought his mother to be one for history. "D-do you mean Queen Elsa?"

"Of course not you idiot! Seriously, that silly mutt said you were supposed to be obsessed with Auradon's history."

"Technically, Arendelle is a separate kingdom." This smart-ass comment landed him a heavy blow so Carlos quickly continued before she could deliver another. "But yes, I know of the Snow Queen, a very distant relative of Queen Elsa and Princess Anna."

"Surely, you must have at least read her story?"

"Of course. The Snow Queen ruled over these snowflakes that looked like bees. Her kingdom had been over-run by the darkest of troll magic that turned everyone against each other and made even the prettiest of landscapes look like nothing more than boiled cabbage. One day, she kidnapped a boy who had fallen under the troll's spell. She took him to her palace and made him forget all about his family and friends so that he wouldn't suffer under the curse of hating them forever." Carlos paused for a second as he tried to remember the rest of the story. "One day, the boy's best friend went to the Snow Queen's palace to rescue him. She kissed him and his spell was broken. The dark magic disappeared and he remembered his family once again. The two returned home to find that they had grown older while away and they lived happily ever after. The Snow Queen was never seen again, though many believe she spent the rest of her life in her north palace surrounded by the snowflakes she controlled." Carlos was pleased to have reached the end of his story without his mother punishing him, he must have done something right for once.

Cruella appeared lost in thought for a moment before absent-mindedly remarking "It's funny how they'll change the story once the so-called 'villain' has redeemed themselves."

"W-what do you mean, mother?" Carlos asked, genuinely curious to hear a side of the story he had never expected.

"That's not what actually happened, it's just the story they tell that makes the Snow Queen seem like less of a villain. Oh, the perks of being related to the royal line." Cruella's face filled with rage and jealousy at the thought of a life other than her own.

"So, what did happen?" Carlos was distrustful of his mother but he wouldn't put it past the people of Arendelle to change history so as to protect one of their own.

"The trolls weren't the ones who created that dark curse, the Snow Queen was. I bet Kristoff was happy about that." Another cruel laugh came from between Cruella's twisted lips.

"But why would they change the story?"

"Because no one wants to be reminded that the Royal Family once gave birth to one of the greatest villains of all time. She only redeemed herself by not casting any more dark magic and by keeping to herself until she died. If I had had her power… well, let's just say Arendelle would be a much different place, a much colder place."

"But what does this have to do with your plan?"

"It has everything to do with my plan. In fact, it is my plan. Only, I will not be making the same mistake that she did. I may not have enough power to curse an entire kingdom but I only need enough to curse one person. One person who will bring everything around them crashing down. You see, I've notice how the Auradonians don't like to speak the dark truths within. Well… soon they'll have no choice but to face it. And when they do… they'll tear themselves apart."

Realisation slowly dawned on Carlos' face as he began to work out Cruella's plan. "I'm the one you're going to cast the curse on."

"Why, of course! Why else would I have kept you here for so long? Why else would I have waited in Auradon for months?"

"But… how? You have nowhere near as much power as the Snow Queen had."

"Of course not!" Cruella snapped, slapping Carlos hard with the rings on her fingers. Carlos knew she hated to be reminded of her shortcomings, but still, if she was to succeed he wanted to take every chance he could to tear her down. "But surely, you noticed my fabulous new mirror. Although, if I'm been honest, it does look rather ancient. Took me a long time to source but luckily the people of Arendelle had no idea of the power it held so it's protections were rather… minimal." Another wicked smile crept onto Cruella's lips at the memory of how she had retrieved it. Carlos didn't want to even imagine what wickedness his mother had conjured to get her hands on that mirror.

"But it's just a mirror, what could you do with it?"

"Everything!" Cruella cried. "It holds the remaining shards of the Snow Queen's dark curse. All I need to do is give it a little bit of a magical kick and then send it in the right direction. Before long, you'll be back in Auradon and tearing everyone apart. Even that horrid little street rat you call your boyfriend."

At the mention of Jay, Carlos eyes immediately lit up. "You're going to lose. The power of evil is good as none when stands before four hearts as one."

Cruella's lips twisted into a grimace. "Please, you sound as pathetic as Maleficent's spawn when she tried to save her _true love._ " Cruella spat the last two words, clearly hating the concept. "How do you suppose you're going to defeat me?"

"True love's kiss." Carlos replied triumphantly. He was shocked however to see his mother only laugh at the suggestion.

"Pay attention darling! I told you that I wasn't going to make the same mistake that she did. True love's kiss is not going to break the curse, not this time."

"How can you be so sure? It worked last time." Dread began to fill his heart, knowing his mother had accounted for it before she even told him herself.

"It only worked the last time because the Snow Queen was stupid enough to remove the boy's memories of his friend. He neither hated nor loved her. She was a blank slate for him. The girl held enough love for the both of them and so, without the hate to balance it out, the kiss worked. I won't be making the same mistake."

"What?" Carlos immediately grew fearful of what his mother had planned. He knew he had been right when he recognised that a sane Cruella was far worse than a mad one.

"You see, I'm going to make sure you remember everyone. That way, you'll hate them even more. You'll have all your memories of them to tarnish their reputations with. Your 'love' isn't going to save you, because you'll hate him. You'll see only the worst in him and all the times he let you down. Your hatred will be enough to balance out any love that he might still have for you." Carlos' face fell when he recognised the truth of his mother's words. Only dread continued to fill his heart and his mother recognised it.

"It's so good to see you finally catch up. All the animals thought you were smart but so far all I've seen is complete stupidity. You really are such a disappointment."

"But… what about the price?" Carlos asked quietly, it was his last hope at stopping his mother's plan.

"Oh darling, isn't it obvious? The price is you! When I cast this curse, you'll hate me even more than you do now. I'll lose you forever. Though really, when you think about it, it seems more of a reward than a price. I'll finally be free of you. I can't wait to celebrate."

Carlos remained silent, resigned to his fate. He knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it so he just wanted it over and done with as quickly as possible. "Go on then, cast it."

"And put you out of your misery? Oh no, darling." Cruella's face now gleaming with malice. "I'm going to let you mull it over for a little while yet. Once the spell is cast you'll have no qualms about all the damage that you're about to cause. I want you to suffer first. I want you to realise how much you'll destroy your friends. They won't even know that you're under a curse."

"They'll figure it out."

"I'm sure they will, eventually. But by the time they work out what spell I've cast… well, it'll be too late. Auradon will be in ashes and there'll be nothing that they can do to stop me."

"They'll find a way."

"Don't you get it? They won't find one in time. By the time they finally work how to save you, they'll be torn apart. Seriously, I feel like I'm just repeating myself now. They won't be able to work together once all their dirty laundry has been exposed for the world to see. I'm sure you know plenty of dark secrets that the King would rather not be shared. Just think of how your little lover boy will feel when you finally tell him how you really feel. Every grievance you've been too shy to ever utter will finally come out. He'll finally see you as the villain you are. He'll run away, just as everyone else in your life has. He'll see how damaged you really are and he'll regret every single moment he spent with you." Cruella's head fell back as she succumbed to another fit of laughter. "Oh darling, it's going to be so much fun to watch."

With that Cruella retreated towards her lair and for hours Carlos could hear her laughter ring across the clearing. It made him sick and his teeth chatter. He thought of all the people who would turn against him. If he was lucky, he'd be thrown back on the Isle. More likely though, they'd kill him before he had a chance.

He was going to hurt so many people, it tore him apart. At least he could find some solace in the fact that his death would put an end to their suffering. If it was the only way, then it would be a price he would willingly pay.

Carlos spent the rest of the day, and most of the next, thinking about all the people in his life he loved. He thought of Mal and Evie, of how their kindness had shown him that the Isle didn't have to be such a dark place. He thought of Ben and Dude who had been the first in Auradon to ever show him any sort of kindness. They treated him as if he belonged for the first time in his life. They had helped him move on from his fear of dogs. Finally, Carlos' thoughts lingered on Jay… his Jay. All the pain of their past quickly evaporated at the thought of Carlos ever losing him. They had hardly spent any time together before being unceremoniously ripped apart. Carlos wished that they had both had the courage to accept their feelings long before they eventually had. Maybe then they would have had a shot at a proper happy ending. It's all Carlos ever wanted.

Now it seemed that fate would intervene once again and Carlos would be reminded that villains like him never got the happy ending they so desperately sought. Whatever force that worked against them achieving their goals had long since determined their fates as such. Their lives were doomed to sadness because of the poor choices of their parents. Carlos had never believed it was the just thing to do but still, he had hoped. He had hoped for a better ending than their parents.

For a moment, he had thought his prayers were answered when Ben had made his first royal proclamation. He had entered Auradon happier than ever before. He was finally free from his mother and her cruel hand. For the first time in his life, Carlos thought he had friends. He'd even had a crush on Jay and a relationship that hadn't been entirely bad.

But then… then fate had reared its ugly head again and he had found himself in the clutches of Harry Hook. He had barely survived the first time, and had come even closer to dying the second. Then Jay had rescued him along with Mal and Evie. The trio had held a vigil of sorts over Carlos' comatosed body and Jay had never left his side. Jay had held his hand and it had given Carlos the strength to return to himself. Again, Carlos had felt happy. Even happier than he had when he first escaped the Isle. Carlos had fooled himself into thinking that this story would have a better ending than his last.

It was not to be however. His happiness was once again fleeting. At first, the flyer had given him strength before another one had torn him down completely. He had become a shell of his former self. A shadow that even he was ashamed of. Through all of it though, Jay had stuck by him. Jay had never left his side. Jay had soothed every nightmare and every silent tear. Carlos had repaid him with heartbreak. He had let his feelings go too far and had turned against the one person who loved him more than anyone else. Carlos had failed and had ended up back in the clutches of his mother, again.

Now he was set to lose everything. Carlos was going to lose all the love and friendships he had formed in Auradon. All the good grades and good will he had built up over his time at the school would be for naught. Carlos would once again be alone. Scorned. An outcast. Carlos was going to do so much worse than lose everything. He was going to destroy it, willingly. The curse would make him little more than a passenger in his body as all his dark thoughts bubbled to the surface. Finally, everyone would see the real Carlos and they would hate him for it. Jay would hate him for it. Carlos fell asleep on the second day with his thoughts full of the older boy. He fell asleep whispering the name to himself.

He was rudely awoken by his mother who kicked him in the ribs, a lot harder than was strictly necessary. When he opened his eyes he found the clearing empty of any sign that his mother had even been there. Obviously, she had been busy during the night. Or rather, her animal minions had. He slowly brought himself to look up into the face of his mother, knowing that this would be the last time he would be able to do so as Carlos.

Cruella had a wicked glint in her eyes as she held the shard of a mirror in her hands. His time had come and he had come to terms with it. His eyes filled with the tears of memories that the curse would sour and use against those he loved. He tried to hide his face but it was no use. He heard the shattering of glass above his head and felt a million tiny particles land all over him. They settled in what remained of his clothes, in his body, his hair and, finally, they landed in his eyes.

Carlos blinked once and then the person he was before was gone. In its place was a boy full of anger and hatred as he glared up at the woman who was supposed to have raised him. He sneered at the state of her clothes, oh, how his mother had fallen. He took pleasure in knowing how much she had suffered in her past. He took pleasure in knowing the price she had paid for her magic. He felt glad that that insufferable fool Anita had failed, as she always had, at protecting his mother.

"Good, darling." The annoying voice rang above his head. "Now, go to sleep and don't wake up until your friends find you. Be a good boy for mummy." As much as he wanted to stay awake and defy her some more, Carlos found himself slipping into unconsciousness. Clearly her magic was growing and had moved beyond being able to control merely animals. As his eyes fluttered shut he caught sight of his mother whispering to that mangy mutt who had betrayed him. Who had fed Cruella all his secrets. He glared at the annoying runt who had led him to his mother and sealed his fate. There would be a special place in hell reserved for that mutt.

Carlos could not be sure of how much time had passed before he felt hands on his face and someone crying out his name. He began to stir but was not fully awake until he found himself in that grubby thief's hands. Carlos was not some prize to be stolen away so easily.

"Get off me you filthy street rat." Carlos spat at the piteous descendant of the slob Jafar. Like his father, Jay was terrible at succeeding in his plans. Carlos pushed himself out of the thief's arms and landed hard on the ground. Carlos could hear his so-called 'friends' worried questions above his head but he was determined to ignore them all.

They had failed him miserably. He had been so close to school yet they hadn't even found him. What, was he not special enough to use magic on? That dirty descendant of Maleficent surely had magic within her. What had happened to that? What had happened to Princess Blueberry's magic mirror? The old relic of another failed plot. Everyone was clearly just as useless as their parents. Obviously they didn't care enough about him or they would have broken any laws in Auradon to find him.

The King was supposed to be his friend! He could have changed any law he wanted if he really wasn't as spineless as his father. Oh, Carlos could see his face now too. Clearly they had all followed that stupid talking mutt, guided by their own guilt. He would make them pay for their ineptitude. When Auradon fell, Carlos would be sure to reserve the best seats for them. They would witness it all before finally meeting their well-deserved fates. They were all villains and deserved nothing more than the fate of any villain before them.

Still, Carlos remained silent as they trekked back to the school. It barely took them five minutes! Really? No one thought to even send a search party into the woods? They called him a villain and yet here they all were. The pathetic descendants of Auradon nobility all casting him worried glances as they made their way through the castle. Carlos saw the overgrown moth and heard her concerns but still, he did not reply. He needed to gather his strength before he destroyed them.

Soon, they would all pay. Soon, Carlos would rein hell upon all of them. It's exactly what they deserved.


	21. Chapter 21

_(A/N: Sorry for the long break between chapters, life happened. Don't worry, there's still more to come and I already have ideas for other stories that will either come out concurrently with this one or after this one is finished.)_

Jay recoiled at Carlos' harsh words. He had never thought the boy he loved so much would ever see him as Jafar had seen Aladdin. He knew not what to make of any of it. Could Carlos still be mad because of their fight? Did this mean that they were now officially over? Or was this to do with leaving him alone in the woods for almost a fortnight? There were many more questions floating around Jay's head as Carlos fell hard onto the forest floor.

"Oh my god, C! Are you alright?" Evie cried, looking at Jay as if he had been the one to push him away.

"Jay! What did you do?" Mal cried.

"N-nothing. It w-was him." Jay stuttered in shocked indignation.

The others all turned to Carlos but he just pushed himself off the ground and continued walking without saying a word. His eyes though… they scared Jay. They put even Mal's glowing green orbs to shame. They were filled with so much hatred and wickedness that it almost felt as though his Carlos was no longer even in there. It hurt Jay to know that he had failed Carlos so much to make him feel this way. Whatever had happened to him in the woods… well, Jay should have kept a closer eye on him.

"Carlos, are you alright?" Ben started cautiously as they made their way back to the school. The younger boy almost froze in shock upon realizing the King was with them. Jay thought he would have been happy to see Ben, the two had always had a close friendship. When Carlos turned around however, his eyes were filled with an even more intense fury. This fury only seemed to grow when they emerged from the forest only a few minutes later.

They hadn't been walking very fast so clearly Carlos hadn't been very far from Auradon Prep the whole time. Jay had been right in assuming that Carlos could probably have heard the school bells from where he was… tied up. Jay hated to think of his… Carlos (he was still unsure where they stood after their fight, Carlos' current attitude wasn't helping him decide very much either) like that. He had endured enough as a child at the hands of that mad woman, why could he never catch a break?

"Carlos! Oh, my child, it is so good to see you back! We must get you to the infirmary at once!" Fairy Godmother cried as she passed the group in the halls. Carlos didn't even glance her way as she joined their group. He just kept walking. "Dear one, are you alright?" Carlos remained silent. If he hadn't spoken to Jay earlier, the older boy would have believed that someone like Ursula or Uma had stolen his voice. Fairy Godmother cast them all a worried glance before ushering them into the room they had spent so much time in during the past year.

"Oh dear, what happened this time?" The nurse hurried over as Ben informed her that they had found Carlos tied to a tree in the woods. "Oh dear, that's… Sit down over here and I can check you out. Everyone out!"

The group didn't need to be asked twice, they knew from experience that the nurse worked better on her own or with Fairy Godmother. There didn't seem to be anything much wrong with Carlos though so even Fairy Godmother had been shooed out of the room.

It was only a short wait before the nurse emerged and ushered them inside. "I can't find anything wrong with him, aside from the obvious scars and bruises. He was beaten quite badly I'm afraid but luckily the damage is all external. He is a little malnourished but that is to be expected from living in the woods for so long. He should be fine for visitors, I'd like to keep him overnight though for observations and to run a few more tests. If everything comes back clear, he should be right to leave tomorrow. I'll leave you to it."

"Oh, C…" Evie started before she was treated to the full weight of Carlos' glare.

"What happened, Carlos?" Ben gently asked, only to be greeted by the same stare as Evie.

They remained silent for a little while, hoping that Carlos would speak up on his own. Jay went to hold his hand but Carlos pushed him away. This took everyone by surprise but no one wanted to say anything. Even Fairy Godmother had learned of their fight and so remained silent until she couldn't wait any longer.

"My child, please. What happened to you? Who took you?" Carlos remained silent as he continued to glare at those gathered around his bed. "You need to tell us. We want to help you."

"Like you helped Cinderella?" Carlos' sudden response took everyone by surprise. It came out harsh and fast, almost in an accusatory tone.

"W-why, yes. Of course!" Fairy Godmother quickly composed herself, taken aback by the tone of his voice. She had never heard anyone other than Maleficent talk to her like that before. She certainly never expected it to come from Carlos.

"Then I don't want it."

"Why? My child, we really do want to help you."

"You didn't really help Cinderella, though, did you?"

"Of course I did!"

"No, you didn't. You dressed her up for a ball, sent her on her way, and then disappeared when everything turned to shit. Like you always do."

"I-I… Well I never…"

"I know you don't, it's alright Fairy Godmother. We're all villains here, you can admit to your mistake. You really are the worst Fairy Godmother, you know that? Flora, Fauna and Merryweather may have been incompetent fools, as is indicative of your kind, but at least they stuck by Aurora her whole life. Where were you?! Where were you when Ella's mother died? What about when her father passed and left her in the hands of Tremaine, Drizella and Anastasia? Where were you when her new 'family' treated her as a slave and changed her name to Cinderella? Huh, where were you?"

"I-I…" Fairy Godmother was taken aback, no one had ever spoken to her like that before. Even Maleficent had just been nitpicking.

"Exactly, you were off doing who-knows-what while Cinderella was kept as a slave in her own home. You only showed up so that she could go to a ball."

"To meet her true love and find her happy ending!" Fairy Godmother quickly interjected, trying to save face in front of her students and the nurse who she could tell was clearly eavesdropping and loving every word.

"Oh, so her happy ending is a man? That's quite the precedent to set there, Fairy Godmother. What a great example for all the young ladies in Auradon. For your daughter. Still, where were you when everything went downhill? Where were you when she had to run away because you were too incompetent to let anything but a glass slipper last beyond midnight? Where were you when Lady Tremaine, in all her glory and wickedness, kept Cinderella hidden away? It was only luck that brought her and her so-called 'true love' together. That and a clearly intense foot fetish. How could you let Cinderella be treated like that? You were supposed to be her godmother, even a mortal could have done a better job. You disgust me. Even now you spend your life as a Headmistress, despite been one of the most powerful beings in the realm. Is this to make up for what you did? Or rather, what you failed to do? Is Auradon Prep just your sick way of trying to make up for the past?"

"Even now you're failing. You failed us on Family Day when Queen Leah was attacking Mal. You did nothing to stop Chad from insulting us! Instead, you reassured Queen Leah! You took their side and made the whole school turn against us! Then I come to you and you fail me even more. You were my last chance, Fairy Godmother. I nearly died because you were so incompetent! You should never have let me go back to the Isle, no matter how much I begged. That place isn't fit for anyone to live in, let alone children! You should have done everything in your power to stop me! You didn't even come to save me, even though it was your fault I was even there in the first place. I nearly died because you couldn't do a single thing right. It shouldn't matter if we're from the Isle or born on Auradon, you should never have let any harm come to us. You're as terrible a headmistress as you are a Fairy Godmother."

Carlos finally finished his rant and found Fairy Godmother to be at a total loss for words. Everything he'd said was true, and Jay could see the pain in her face. Still, Carlos had opened his eyes to parts of Cinderella's story he had never considered before. He was beginning to see her Godmother in a whole new light, and it was not very flattering. Her face growing red, Fairy Godmother quickly left the room without saying a thing.

"Carlos… that was a bit harsh… even for me." Mal admitted, she was the only one brave enough to withstand Carlos' now infamous glares.

"Oh, I haven't even started little Miss Princess-of-Darkness-Turned-Goody-Two-Shoes."

"Hey! We're your friends, don't start on us too!" Mal angrily cried.

"Some friend you are. You're nearly as bad as Jay. You never let anyone in to that infuriatingly little head of yours! If we were friends why didn't you tell us how you felt about Ben before breaking his love spell? What about all the times you felt left-out and not a true Lady-of-the-Court? Which, by the way, you will never be. If we really were your friends you would have come to talk to us, not just abandoned us and ran back home to the Isle of the Lost! We all risked our lives going back there! I nearly died the last time I was with Harry and my mother and you still made us go back there! BEN NEARLY DIED! You're so selfish you don't even notice how your actions affect everyone around you! You live in the United States of Auradon, Mal! Not the United States of Keep-Everything-To-Yourself! I risked my life for you!"

Like Fairy Godmother, Mal was lost for words. Again, Carlos had spoken the truth. It had been harsh but it was true. Ben reached out to touch her but she recoiled and ran out of the room. She knew she was only proving Carlos' point but she didn't care. She just needed to get out and find a space to breathe and think things through.

"I think we should go." Evie suggested, trying to ignore Carlos' scoff. "Before he says anything else he'll regret." She grabbed Jay and Ben's arms and dragged them out with her as Carlos laughed at their backs.

"That's right, leave! Do what you always do! Just abandon me! I WAS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO THE SCHOOL! WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK?! OR – " Carlos' words were cut off by Jay shutting the infirmary doors behind them. Everything Carlos had said was the truth, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"What just happened?" Evie asked Jay as Ben rushed off to find Mal.

"I think I really screwed up this time, E." Jay expected Evie to reassure him that he hadn't but he only looked up to find her staring silently at him. Clearly, she agreed with what Carlos had said as well. Luckily, they had left before any of _their_ dirty laundry was aired for everyone to hear. The infirmary nurse was a notorious gossip and so he knew every one of Carlos' words would eventually spread throughout the entire school.

"I'm not so sure. Maybe he's just angry? I mean, he has a good reason to be."

"Don't you think I know that?! You saw the word carved into his spine as well as I did. We really failed him this time, didn't we?"

"Yeah…" Evie replied quietly. The duo silently walked back to their dorms, refusing to look the other in the eye. They both knew what they had done. They spent the rest of the night lying awake in bed, their minds full of all the ways they had failed Carlos and all the awful things he could possibly say to them. Even Mal, who generally slept like a baby, found herself crying late into the night.

The next day the whole school was abuzz with what Carlos had said to Fairy Godmother. Jay had been right to suspect that the nurse would tell anyone who would listen, clearly a lot had. Fairy Godmother kept herself in her office and even cancelled her classes for the day.

"Mum's beside herself, did Carlos really say all those awful things?" Jane was bewildered at the prospect as she sat down to dinner with the group. No one said anything so they all just nodded. "How could he?! Mum has been nothing but nice to him the whole time he has been here!"

"He's not himself, Jane." Evie reassured her. "Something must have happened to him in those woods because he has come out a completely different person."

"Yeah, E, something did happen in those woods. We left him there. That's why he's become like this. For two weeks he would have heard the school bells and they probably gave him hope that we were out there combing the forest for him! But we weren't. No, we stayed in our safe little castle and waited for a miracle to bring him back to us. He hasn't changed, E. He's just mad at all of us. We all failed him, even Fairy Godmother." Jay cast a quick glance at Jane who had bowed her head out of shame. "He has a right to be angry at us, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, but anger doesn't mean he has to be such a dick!" Mal cried.

"You can't really talk, Mal. Evie and I knew you on the Isle, you weren't much better." Jay had regretted it the minute it left his mouth. But it had been said so there was nothing he could do to take it back. Carlos' harsh truthfulness was clearly spreading and it was sure to destroy a few friendships along the way.

"That was different!" Mal spat through bared teeth.

"Yes, it was!" Ben quickly chimed in, trying to defuse the situation before it escalated any further. "So we all need to take a deep breath and calm down. Carlos really needs us right now. We can't be at each other's throats. He should be back in the dorm by now, Jay, maybe you should go and talk to him, see if you can get through to him."

"Good luck with that." Evie tried to laugh. "We all know how stubborn both of them can be." There were a few forced smiles around the table but everyone was too lost in their own thoughts. They were all too afraid of the next thing Carlos would say if he was still angry at them.

Reluctantly, and after much coaxing from Ben and Evie, Jay left for the dorms. On his way, he found himself praying that Carlos wouldn't be there. Or at least hoping that if he was, he wouldn't be in such a bad mood and that they could have a conversation.

As he entered the room he shared he saw Carlos already curled up in bed, facing away from the door with the covers brought up to his nose and Dude pushed onto the floor. This seemed strange to Jay seeing as how close the two generally were but he had no idea what Carlos had gone through and so knew he wasn't in a position to judge.

For a moment, Jay considered going to Carlos' bed but he was still unsure where the two stood so he hesitantly sat down on his own instead. "Hey, Carlos…" There was no response, not even a movement from Carlos' bed. "Do you want to talk?"

"That's new." Carlos muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Jay to hear him. Clearly Carlos was still upset about Jay's closed feelings, and it hurt the older boy to know this. He had never wanted any pain to come to the one he loved, he hated that he had been the root cause of it.

"I know it is, C, and I am so sorry for that. I never wanted any harm – "

"Well, look what you did." With that interruption, Carlos let the covers slip from around his bare shoulders so that Jay could see the scars on his spine. "That's how you made me feel whenever we were together and you couldn't be brave enough to share your feelings with me."

"Carlos, I – "

"NO! Your chance to share has long since passed. It's my turn to talk. Our whole relationship has just been to satisfy some sick hero complex in you, hasn't it? You couldn't even bring yourself to tell me how you felt until I was on my death bed. Do you know how that makes me feel? Certainly not loved! It felt more like you were being guilted into your feelings for me! Our whole relationship has been you treating me as if I might run away from you if you hurt me, and I have felt the exact same way about you! You made me feel weak! You coddled me and made me want to be weak just so I could get some attention from you! You sure as hell didn't seem so snuggly when I was strong again!" Carlos was shouting now and Jay was sure that the whole building could hear him. He didn't want to interrupt however, because although Carlos was wrong about how he felt, he couldn't deny how his actions could have made Carlos feel like that.

"You're even worse than Fairy Godmother. At least she was consistently absent, you actually made me believe that you loved me. You gave me hope. That was the cruelest trick of all."

"I do love you, C."

"No, you don't. You just want to believe you do because it's so much more convenient. You are exactly like your father, weak and incompetent. He became a bloody genie and he still couldn't stop Aladdin or keep his control over Agrabah. If you really loved me you would have ran after me in the halls, you would have looked for me in the library. I was there for hours, praying that you would walk through those doors! But you never did. Then I found myself in the forest and for two whole weeks you didn't find me! I BET YOU DIDN'T EVEN LOOK! YOU JUST STAYED IN THIS ROOM FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF AND BLAMING YOURSELF FOR EVERYTHING! IT'S WHAT YOU ALWAYS DO JAY! INSTEAD OF ACTIONS AND MAKING UP FOR YOUR MISTAKES, YOU WALLOW IN THEM! I wish that fate on you for the rest of your life."

"Carlos… please…" Jay tried to argue but everything Carlos had said was right, he had been thinking about it for the past fortnight, wondering how things could have turned out differently if he had chased him down or found him in the library. If he had just had the courage to do what he had never done before.

"No, Jay, you had your chance with me and you clearly didn't care enough to fight. Well I'm done fighting for the both of us. I can't date a coward who makes me look like a fool. I'm done, Jay."

"No! Please!" Jay begged Carlos, tears streaming down his face. He didn't want this to be the end of their relationship, they had so much more ahead of them. Their happy endings were within reach, they couldn't give up now.

"We're finished, Jay."


End file.
